Man on the Beach
by katiegirl99
Summary: Beth works as a lifeguard while she attends college in a beach community in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. One day, she meets a man on the beach who has obviously experienced some sort of trauma. Beth seeks to understand this good-looking stranger, Daryl, who has all of a sudden been dropped into her life. AU. Slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

It was Sunday morning, and, as often was the case on Sunday mornings, Beth was running late for work. She had stayed out too late on both Friday and Saturday nights, going to two parties on Friday night (and well into the morning on Saturday) and then having a drunken "girls night in" with her sister Maggie and some close friends from college. Her sister Maggie, who was older, still lived back in Georgia, but had come to visit Beth for the weekend. Beth had managed to get her manager, Zach, to give her both Friday and Saturday off; however, Sundays were often difficult to find willing workers, so she had agreed to work in exchange for the other two days. At the time she made the arrangement with Zach, she thought it was a good trade-off. Now, at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, she was rethinking her choice.

About 10 minutes late for her shift Beth pulled up to the beach access in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She enjoyed working as a lifeguard within the Sea Pines Resort community on the southern tip of the island. The community was large and included many private residences, some of them unbelievably large. Beth loved that the island prided itself on a natural environment, disallowing anything too commercialized, including large, high-up store signs and traditional street lights. While there were many full-time, year-round residents of the island, like herself, during the summer many tourists flooded into the area, renting homes for their annual family vacations. While all the vacationers often created more work for the lifeguarding staff, Beth loved seeing all the happy families together on the beach, playing in the surf, building sandcastles, and riding their bikes along the shoreline. She particularly loved watching the children; some would scream with delight when the seemingly-cold ocean water covered their tiny feet and others would wallow around in the shallow parts of the surf, sometimes finding tiny pools of ocean water left along the beach as the tide had gone back out.

This particular June morning the humidity was quite high, even at 7 a.m., and as Beth hurried over to the head lifeguard station, she had already begun to sweat. Summers in the South Carolina Lowcountry were always hot and humid but this day seemed that it would be one of the hottest so far. As she approached Zach at the lifeguard station, Beth hoped that she had enough sunscreen in her bag to make it through the day – she noticed on Thursday that she was running low, but with the weekend's activities, she had forgotten to buy more. Although she worked as a lifeguard and spent a tremendous amount of time outside, Beth's normally fair skin still burned easily, even after she spent months outside, acquiring a fairly dark tan. She was always sure to cover herself with high SPF sunscreen, unlike most of her co-workers who wore very little, if any, sunscreen as protection from the high UV indexes that inevitably came about in the South in the summertime.

"It's about damn time you go here, Beth!" Zach said, seemingly only half serious, as Beth finally reached Zach's head lifeguard station. Beth liked Zach, but perhaps not in the same manner that he seemed to like her. He had asked her out several times, each time being more and more awkward, but Beth didn't think they had much in common and wasn't interested in getting into a complicated relationship with a co-worker (and technically, her boss). Zach was an extremely confident guy and never seemed to mind sticking his neck out to ask Beth on a date, even if she'd denied him half a dozen times. Zach was always nice to Beth, though, even when she would never agree to go out with him; he gave her time off when she asked and usually only joked about her being habitually late.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Beth said as she hurried up to check the small board that contained the chair assignments and locations for the day. As she grabbed her radio, rescue can, first aid pack, and megaphone she commented, "It was a little bit of a late night… well… weekend, really". She knew Zach wasn't upset, but she also never wanted him to think she was taking advantage of his goodwill towards her.

"Sounds like you and your sister had a lot of fun during her visit, then?" Zach asked.

"Yes. Maybe a little too much fun, though" Beth answered. She had enjoyed Maggie's visit very much, and had hated saying goodbye to Maggie early that morning. But after two days of almost constant drinking, shopping, and social events, she wasn't feeling quite herself and she hoped that could make it until the end of her shift at 5 p.m. Then, she told herself, she would go home and get to bed early so that she could start the week off more rested and physically ready for the heat and the demands of vacation season.

Beth, lost in thought, started to wander over towards her chair, when Zach called over to her. She realized then that she hadn't even spoken to him before she walked away. "Sorry again", she said as she spun around towards him, instantly embarrassed at her rudeness. "I'm a little tired and have a lot on my mind, I guess", she reasoned to Zach.

"Yeah… um… don't worry about it. Are you really okay, though? You gonna make it out here all day?" Zach asked, with a bit of concern rising into his voice.

"Yes, Zach. I promise… I'm fine. I just need to eat my breakfast and maybe do some stretches to get my blood flowing" Beth said, as she held up her bag that contained the breakfast that she'd haphazardly thrown together before running out of the door at home.

"Okay, okay", Zach responded. "One thing before you go… There is a guy over near your chair. Uh… he was still there a bit ago when I did my rounds to check everything out. He was out here all day yesterday, just sitting on the beach. I mean, all day. And, well… he's still over there."

"Oh…" Beth said, a little confused at what Zach was saying. "Is he…?", Beth started to ask.

"Oh no… Beth, he doesn't seem dangerous. I don't think he's like, homeless, or anything like that. You know I'd never put you in that situation, right?" Zach stated, almost sounding offended by Beth's seeming concern. She nodded slowly at his question. "I just… I wanted you to know… And… I tried to talk to the guy, but, he wasn't super responsive to me. I thought maybe… well… I thought maybe he'd be more responsive to you". Zach smiled a little and Beth knew exactly what he was insinuating.

"Okay", Beth said. "I will try to talk to him… if he's even still there".

"Thanks, Beth", Zach smiled at her brightly as she started to move away again. "Radio me if you need anything, okay?". Beth simply threw her hand up as she walked away, acknowledging him but silently letting him know that she'd be fine. "I mean it, Beth! I can be over there in 30 seconds in the truck!" Zach called after her. Beth just kept walking towards her chair, thinking about how long this day would probably be.

As Beth approached her chair, she noticed the silhouette of a man, who was obviously the one that Zach had been talking about. He was sitting down, directly on the sand, with his legs bent out in from of him and his elbows resting on his knees. He stared blankly out into the water, not moving. Beth made her way to her chair, took off her t-shirt and shorts, revealing her red lifeguard suit. She climbed up into her chair, to eat her breakfast and survey the beach for a few minutes. At this early time of the morning few people were sitting on the beach. Most of the people that she saw were walking, running, or riding their bicycles, some of them walking their dogs. Generally, the heavy traffic of those coming to the beach with their families and friends would start around 10 a.m. While Beth knew she had to keep track of those walking, running, and riding by, this was much less work than what would come when all the families and groups got onto the beach in a couple of hours. At least, she thought to herself, she had a couple of hours to wake up, stretch out, and get herself together.

Eating her breakfast, Beth couldn't help but continue to look over at the man sitting on the beach. He still hadn't moved. And, he still was just staring out into the water, or maybe, out at the horizon. For some reason, he made her very sad. If Zach was right, this man had been sitting out on the beach for at least 24 hours. Had he actually slept there – out on the beach? Beth wandered what would cause someone to do that – was he in some sort of shock or catatonic state? Wasn't he hungry and exhausted after sitting out in the sun and heat for all that time?

Beth couldn't take it anymore. She had so many questions. She always did, though – she was the type of person that wanted to understand everything about people and their behavior. Maybe that was reflected in her desire to study Sociology in college. Beth had chosen to major in Early Childhood Education, before coming to college in South Carolina; however, as she started her classes, she also found a love for Sociology and decided to double major, thinking that the two fields could complement each other well. At this moment, she wanted to understand more about this man on the beach – what brought him here, was he homeless, why had he chosen to come to this exact place?

Beth pulled a granola bar out of her bag of breakfast food and climbed down her chair, heading slowly over to the man. She decided that instead of trying to talk to him right away, she would sit down next to him and wait. She knew that this was a bold decision, and she didn't know how this man might respond, but it felt like the right choice. As she neared him, he never looked at her, still staring blankly out towards the ocean. Beth sat down next to him – close, but not touching him and providing an adequate distance between herself and the stranger. She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, not wanting to turn her head to look back over at the man, and instead following his lead and staring out at the horizon. She never had a lot of chance to do that, as her job required her to be constantly looking, constantly aware. But she realized how peaceful it was to simply look out at the water, at the ships on the horizon, thinking about the morning and the newness of the day.

"They send you here to tell me to leave" a gruff voice asked softly. Beth was snapped out of her own thoughts, surprised that the stranger had finally spoken and turning her head quickly with a surprised look on her face.

"No… um… Not at all", she responded. "I just… um… wanted to make sure you were okay is all". Beth struggled to find her words all of a sudden. "Another lifeguard mentioned that you were out here all day yesterday?" Beth said, both as a question and a statement.

"Mmm…" the stranger grumbled out, barely responding.

Beth wasn't sure, but she thought that was at least an affirmation of what she'd asked. She wasn't sure what to say, so she just waited. After what seemed like several minutes, she decided to speak again. "Are you okay? Did you sleep here?" Beth asked as she turned her head towards him.

The stranger looked over at her, looking into her eyes for the first time. She couldn't help but notice how unbelievably handsome he was. He was muscular, his skin very tanned, and he had the most piercing blue eyes she'd ever seen. He was dressed in a simple dark t-shirt and pair of jeans and had long shaggy hair that was oddly sexy looking, maybe from being blown around by the wind for the last day. Beth was also surprised that he didn't look dirtier, or smell badly, after being outside on the beach for at least 24 hours. He looked older than her, maybe in his early thirties, and had some somewhat messy scruff on his face. For a moment, Beth lost herself in her own thoughts and started to ponder this situation even more – what was this gorgeous man doing in this state? Had a woman caused this? Had someone died?

He finally spoke, again, catching Beth off guard. "Not sure…" he said softly.

Beth could tell this man was deeply upset. She wanted to keep asking questions, she wanted to know what he meant when he said he wasn't sure. Instead, she continued to sit next to him. Finally, she turned to him, reached her hand over and placed the granola bar into his hand. "You must be hungry" she said quietly, trying to reassure him, but of what, she wasn't. "I'm Beth, by the way". She stood up then and started to walk back to her chair. After a few steps, she heard his voice again, still timid, but a little louder.

"Thank you, Beth. I'm Daryl."


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl continued to sit on the beach and stare out towards the horizon. He wasn't concentrating on anything in particular, but was lost in his own thoughts. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? How had the woman that he loved, or that he thought he loved, have hurt him so deeply? And how could she have been so hurtful with her words and actions, almost seeming unapologetic for her infidelity? He couldn't sort any of it out in his mind.

When the beautiful blonde lifeguard had come over to sit next to him earlier, he'd been a bit taken aback. Why would someone like her care anything about someone like him? She was breath-takingly beautiful, especially in that red swimsuit that accentuated her long legs and flawless skin. But Daryl was hurting and didn't know what to say to her questions. She asked if he was okay. She asked if he had slept out on the beach. When he responded that he was "not sure" he meant that. He wasn't sure how long he'd been out on that beach – time seemed to run together and he didn't know if he'd been there an hour or a week. And he was definitely not sure if he was "okay". He wanted to reply that he was definitely not okay, except something about her presence made him want to be strong, to make himself be okay. He couldn't explain it. The blonde lifeguard seemed so good, so sweet, and so compassionate – and all of that for someone that she'd never laid eyes on before. She was like a light in the darkness, beckoning him to move past his hurt.

He thought back painfully on the events of the previous evening.

_Daryl had been waiting at home for Andrea for what seemed like hours. They had planned to go out to dinner together, as they normally did on Friday nights, but Daryl wanted to surprise Andrea with a nice dinner at home. It was the least he could do, he thought, after she had done so much for him. They had been having some trouble recently – they just hadn't been connecting as much as they did at the beginning of their relationship. But Daryl was committed and wanted to do whatever he could to show Andrea his love for her. He wasn't always the best with words, but he thought maybe he could show her through his actions. _

_He had spent a good deal of the afternoon arranging things for the night. He'd arranged to get all her favorite foods from all her favorite restaurants around the island: scallops and coconut shrimp from Red Fish, crab cakes from Truffles, fried green tomatoes and sushi rolls from Skull Creek, gelato from Pino Gelato, and key lime pound cake from Signe's Bakery. Most of the places, once they found out the food was for Andrea, had agreed to deliver it to the house. He'd spent at least an hour at Red Fish talking to the sommelier about appropriate wines to pair with the dinner. He was a little out of his element in all of this, but he wanted to do something truly special for Andrea. Daryl also spoke to Andrea's close friend who was a florist in the area, who made a very beautiful arrangement of flowers for Daryl to give her. It had cost him $300, and, to Daryl they were just flowers, but he knew she adored flowers and knew her friend was sure of what she would love. _

_Their plans were to meet at home around 7 p.m. to go out for dinner, but 7 came and went and Andrea hadn't come home all day. She wouldn't answer her phone and as time moved away from 7, to 8, and eventually 9, Daryl started to get anxious. Had something happened to her? Why would she be so late? And why wasn't she answering her phone?_

_Finally, around 10 p.m,. Andrea came stumbling in. She had obviously been drinking and she looked like a mess. Her hair was all messed up and her clothes looked disheveled. Daryl heard a car pulling out of the driveway and it all hit him like a ton of bricks – someone had brought her home, and he had a pretty good feeling of what she'd been up to. He was just in total shock. _

_"What's all this?" she slurred out, looking at the dining table that had been set with the best china, glassware, monogrammed linen napkins, and silver utensils. It also contained the large flower arrangement, candles (that at this point had burned half way down) on beautiful antique candlesticks, and a small wrapped box that contained a small necklace that Daryl had thoughtfully bought for her. Daryl had packed all the food into the refrigerator over an hour ago, but had helped himself to some of the wine, which also sat on the table. _

_"I thought I'd, uh, do something nice. Thought we… could stay in tonight. Got stuff from all your favorite places. Not that it matters much now" Daryl said, never actually looking Andrea in the eye. _

_"Oh… uh….", Andrea replied. It was obvious he'd caught her off guard. He normally wasn't much for these kinds of grand gestures and she always assumed Daryl would be easy to forgive her when she let him down – he had always been kind of a pushover in their relationship. She could tell though, now, that he could see right through her and that he wouldn't be so quick to forgive her being with another man while trying to come home to him. _

_"That's all you've got to say?" Daryl asked, anger rising up within his voice. "I spent all day doing this for you… and… and… you come in here like that… 3 hours late? I know, Andrea. I know where you've been… what you've been doing!"_

_"Oh baby, don't be like that…" Andrea started towards Daryl, but he quickly moved away. "Why are you being like this?" she demanded. Obviously she thought she could still talk herself out of this situation. _

_"Why am I being like this?" Daryl scoffed. "Why are you being like this is more like it! You're cheating and you don't even have enough concern for me to just tell me straight. Instead, I'm running all over the island today, doing stuff for you, talking to your friends, and you're out there making a damn fool of me!". Daryl had raised his voice to a very loud level and was waving his hands around in frustration. How could she ask him what she had?_

_"Daryl… listen…", Andrea started. She sat down, head in her hand, seeming to quickly sober from her previous state just a few minutes prior. "I, um… I'm sorry". She seemed to finally realize the severity of what was happening. _

_"Sorry for what?" Daryl almost yelled. _

_"I… I haven't been happy for a while. I thought… I thought you knew", Andrea said, somewhat apologetic now. _

_"Knew what? That you were stepping out on me? Naw… I didn't know", Daryl bit back. Daryl's eyes bored down onto Andrea from where he stood across from her in the room. He wanted an explanation, but she wouldn't even look up at him. She was obviously uncomfortable, but whether she was truly ashamed of her actions, Daryl wasn't sure. "Did you think I'd be okay to just be some sort of 'kept man', Andrea? That I'd be happy just being some man candy for you to take out in public, show off to all your little bitch friends? That's bullshit and you know it!"_

_Daryl tried to calm down. He tried to think rationally in the moment. But now that he knew that she was cheating, that she "hadn't been happy for a while", some of his old insecurities about her had come flooding back. Daryl had gotten the feeling from Andrea a few times in the last couple of months that she was only interested in having someone very handsome, yet somewhat passive and quiet, on her arm. Even some of her friends had mentioned in passing that they needed to find some "man candy" like Daryl. He wasn't one of those guys who was overly confident of his appearance, but he knew that he was a good looking man, and he'd never had trouble attracting women. Making meaningful relationships with them, however, had always been a problem for him. Daryl was abused as a child and had severe trust issues. Although he tried to move past all that baggage that he some painfully carried, he often found that the women he became involved with either didn't want long-term relationships, or wanted more from him initially than he could give. _

_He had hoped Andrea would be different. And he tried to talk with her about his feelings. She assured him that what they shared was real, that she loved him, and she would do anything to show him that. He hadn't wanted to walk away, he thought he loved her too, and so, he stayed and hoped for the best._ _When Andrea and Daryl went out in the area, she would only settle for the finest of things. She wanted to eat at the best restaurants, drink the most expensive wine, and wear the clothes of all the best designers. He hadn't realized early in their relationship, but she was quite materialist and maybe a bit too superficial. Everywhere they went, people noticed her – her success as a very prominent real estate mogul in the area had brought her much notoriety and won her many friends. Over time, it all started to take its toll on Daryl. He had grown up in a very poor family and knew that Andrea saw him as somewhat beneath her, even if she didn't express it. _

_Finally, Andrea broke the long silence between them, pulling Daryl out of his thoughts and bringing him back to the current situation. "Daryl, listen…." she started. "You are such a great guy… I mean… really. But, we are just too different. You know that right? I'm not sure this could ever really work between us. Not really the way you'd want anyway". _

_He knew what she was suggesting – he had grown up white trash and while he felt like he'd escaped his upbringing, she still saw him as beneath her and he knew now that it would never change. She would never change. And he would never agree to continue on in some sham relationship only so he could live a lavish lifestyle and Andrea could keep up appearances. _

_"So this is it then, huh?" Daryl asked, although he already knew the answer. He didn't want to be in this relationship anymore, and obviously neither did Andrea. It was hard for him to leave, though, as he had much more wrapped up in her than she did in him. He had moved to Hilton Head for Andrea. When they first met, while she was on a business trip to Atlanta, things between them had gotten serious quickly. Only a few weeks into their somewhat long-distance relationship, Andrea had asked Daryl to move to Hilton Head to be with her. She had even offered him a good job working for her company. He had accepted her invitation, moving to South Carolina and moving in with her. Her home in Sea Pines was large – her success in real estate in the area had afforded her a very good lifestyle. It had all been a bit much for Daryl to adjust to at first. As an adult, Daryl had made a comfortable life for himself – he worked a steady construction job, even moving his way up to being a foreman. But he never thought he would live in a glamorous coastal home, with a woman that was somewhat of a local celebrity. Now, though, he faced losing both his home and his job, since he couldn't imagine Andrea would want him to continue to work for her. And, he didn't really want that either. Honestly, he never wanted to see her face again. _

_He left that night, after packing up his things, not saying another word to Andrea. She had tried to get him to talk to her, tried to tell him he could stay there until he found a new place, tried to tell him he could keep his job. But he wasn't having any of it. He couldn't stand her now and every minute that he was around her just made his blood boil. _

_After leaving her house, he couldn't think of where to go. He didn't have any friends, not really anyway. Those that he'd gotten to be somewhat friendly with were all friends of Andrea's and he'd never ask for help from any of them. He knew he could go to an area hotel, but the chance of finding a reasonably priced one in height of vacation season was slim to none. He also hated the idea of spending hundreds of dollars of his hard earned money on a hotel room. Finally, he decided to drive to the beach. He sat in his truck at the beach access for the longest time, just thinking things over. He finally got out, as the sun was making its way close to the horizon, and headed out toward the ocean, sitting down in the cool sand and watching as the sun peaked up over the horizon. Tears fell down his face as he realized that had absolutely nothing, no one, and that his entire life had been pulled out from under him in almost an instant. _

Daryl slowly started to bring himself back to reality. His relationship with Andrea was over. He had to come to terms with that – and the quicker he could do that, the quicker he could get on with his life, whatever that meant at this point. He wasn't sure what had occupied his mind in the 24 hours since he'd come out to sit on the beach. He had been in such an intense state that he'd noticed nothing around him, or even the changing of the light, the tides, or the temperature. He vaguely remembered a guy attempting to talk to him yesterday – but he had no idea what he'd said, what he looked like, or who he was.

As Daryl continued to think through the situation, his sadness started to melt away. Instead of the sorrow that he'd wallowed in within the last 24 hours, he was overtaken with anger. Andrea had begged him to move in with her, and now, he was left with nothing – no home, no job. Yes, he had a good amount of savings from his construction work for Andrea's company – he'd rarely ever needed money during their relationship, as she always insisted on paying for everything. He supposed he needed to get up, dust himself off, and try to find an apartment, along with a job. But, as he thought about all this, he continued to get angrier. He realized that, if what the blonde had said was true, that he had been out on the beach for an entire day, that today was Sunday. That meant that no one would be open – he wouldn't be able to find an apartment until at least Monday. And would he even be able to get approval for an apartment within a job? Why had Andrea put him into this terrible position? He couldn't help but ask himself this question over and over again. Then another question surfaced – why had he put himself in this position? That made him even more frustrated. He faced the reality that he may have to sleep in his truck tonight, or, stay out on the beach all night… again.

Daryl wasn't sure what would happen if he tried to stay out on the beach all day again today. What would the blonde do? Would she continue to question him, try to figure out what was causing his strange behavior? Or, would she see that he was hurting, and somewhat nonresponsive, and leave him alone to his own thoughts? While he should have hoped for the second option, he found himself hoping desperately that she would approach him again. For some reason, the girl gave him hope. He didn't know her at all, but he found himself glancing over at her guard chair, more than a few times. He found himself wandering about who she was, what she was like, and, over and over, why she'd wanted to approach someone like him. He knew it was all crazy, that he was being crazy thinking about her, especially in his current state. But he just couldn't help himself.

All of a sudden, Daryl realized he'd been staring at Beth for a very long time. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he was completely surrounded by others now – families, mostly, of all types, shapes, and sizes. He looked down at his watch, wondering what time it was and realized that it was about lunch time. He had hungrily devoured the granola bar that Beth had sweetly placed in his hand earlier, but it was almost 5 hours later and he realized just how hungry, and thirsty, he was after not eating anything (other than the granola bar) for the last day.

Slowly, carefully, Daryl stretched his legs out and dusted himself off. He stood up, feeling the pain of his legs, which hadn't moved much in the last 24 hours. He continued to move his hands over his pants, trying to get as much sand off of himself as possible. He didn't know what he would do today, but he knew he needed to eat. Luckily, there was a café right next to the beach club and he started walking towards it. As he headed towards the café, somewhat lost in his own world and mind, the beautiful blonde popped up in front of him suddenly.

"You leaving?" Beth asked, sounding a bit confused.

"Oh… uh… Naw", Daryl replied as he looked down at her. He hadn't realized before when she sat next to him how tiny she was in comparison to himself. She almost seemed disappointed that he was walking away from the beach, he thought. Why? "I'm gonna go over and get some lunch… I… um… haven't eaten in a long time. Other than that bar…. Thanks", Daryl said shyly, looking down at his shoes. He wasn't sure why, but she made him nervous.

"Oh, well… I'm… uhhh… about to go over there too. Wanna eat together?" Beth suggested somewhat nervously but eventually looking up to him with a smile.

For the life of him, Daryl couldn't figure out why she'd asked him this. Why would she want to eat with him? Was she just nosey? Did she just want an excuse to ask him a lot of questions? Did she think he was homeless – needed someone to buy him a meal? He couldn't imagine that she really thought that and he really wanted to be near her, just to feel her presence around him. He knew he was feeling vulnerable and alone, but something about her was magnetic, and he was drawn to the idea of Beth.

"Yeah, uh, okay" he finally answered her question. And for good measure, he added, "how about my treat?"

"Oh…" she said, shaking her head, "you don't have to do that…".

"No, I'd like to. Um, you… you gave me some breakfast, right? So, I should buy you some lunch", Daryl offered. He even smirked at her a little, unsure of how he'd somehow lost some of his anger and sadness and replaced it with hope and some other emotion that he couldn't quite explain.

Beth looked up a Daryl for what seemed like an eternity. Her face was hard to read in those moments and Daryl was terrified that she would turn him down. Instead, though, she replied with a simple "okay" and turned around to walk beside him waving her hand to signal him that she was ready to go. They walked comfortably in silence toward the café and all Daryl could do was smile to himself and wonder what in the world he'd gotten himself into.


	3. Chapter 3

Beth found herself at a complete loss. As she and Daryl walked towards the beach café, she wasn't sure what she was even doing, or where she'd found the nerve to ask this man, that she knew nothing about, to have lunch with her. She had honestly thought that he'd turn her down, but was elated that he agreed, if not completely surprised. Earlier, Daryl had seemed to be in some sort of trance, barely talking or even acknowledging her. But now, he seemed to have turned the corner on whatever emotions he was experiencing. He'd even smiled at her a little! Beth looked out of the corner of her eyes over at Daryl to notice that he even had a small smirk on his face at that moment. She wondered what had brought him out of his seemingly dark place from earlier. She also wondering what in the world she'd do to make conversation with him during lunch. Beth never had trouble talking to people, though, so she knew she'd think of something.

As the two walked into the grill and approached the counter, Beth looked over at Daryl and asked "have you eaten here before?". He simply shook his head, letting her know that he hadn't. Although he and Andrea had visited the beach together several times, she had always assured him that the food at the café was not up to their standards. Now that he was inside with Beth, though, he thought that it looked just like his sort of place. "Do you like hamburgers?" Beth asked shyly. "They have really great hamburgers here… trust me", said followed.

Daryl just nodded and he moved towards the counter a bit further, indicating to her that he would take her lead in ordering. He stuck out his hand in front of him, indicating to Beth that she should go first.

"Hi, Joe!" Beth said enthusiastically to the older man behind the counter. "How is your Sunday treating you so far? Have you been busy?".

"Hi, Beth" Joe returned Beth's enthusiasm. "What a treat to see you today. I rarely see you in here on Sundays!" the older man said as he smiled at her and then looked up at the man that was towering behind her. "We've been a little busier than usual today… it's that time of year though, right? Who is your friend here?"

"Oh, sorry! Joe, this is Daryl. Daryl, this is Joe", Beth said as she turned to look at Daryl. Joe quickly stuck his hand out to Daryl, and, after eyeing him suspiciously for a moment, Daryl moved forward and shook the old man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, son" Joe said with a smile. "Any guy that gets to hang around with Beth's is a lucky son of a gun", the old man Joe winked at Daryl as he turned back towards Beth. Beth had blushed a little at Joe's statement, and also hoped that Joe's comments hadn't made Daryl uncomfortable. Who knows what the older man thought about her relationship with Daryl – but, that didn't really matter, did it?

"You gonna have your usual today, Miss Beth?" Joe asked rather jovially.

"Yes!" she answered quickly.

"Alright…" Joe responded. "That's one double cheeseburger with extra bacon and pickles. And an order of fries and a Coke?" Joe confirmed.

"Yes!" Beth said enthusiastically. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she stepped into the grill, smelling the delicious scent of grilled and fried food.

When Beth turned around to look at Daryl, waiting for him to order, she noticed his smirk had grown to a full blown laugh. "Damn girl, you must be hungry" he said through a small chuckle.

Beth could tell that her small size had fooled Daryl into thinking she wasn't a healthy eater, which was quite the opposite for the reality.

"Oh, son… Look, Beth here always eats like this. She has a big appetite. Don't let that 100 pound body fool you – she loves to eat!" Joe said, laughing harder and harder as he saw Beth start to blush and Daryl started to laugh as well. Beth swatted Joe's shoulder playfully – but she too had started to laugh. She knew she was laughing at herself, and in front of this man that she barely knew, but she was so glad that he finally seemed to be smiling and happy, even if just momentarily.

"So, Daryl, what can I get for you?" Joe asked.

"I… uh… just give me what she's having" Daryl said looking over at Beth and giving her a cute smile. That smile made Beth's stomach jump – were those butterflies in her stomach, she wondered?

"Alright" Joe said, as he finished entering everything in the computer. Daryl had already gotten his wallet out and looked towards Joe expectantly, waiting for him to tell him the total of their order. Joe looked up at Daryl and smiled, "That'll be $9.16, son".

Daryl looked a little surprised. Beth wasn't sure why, until he spoke. "$9.16? That's all? For all that?" he asked unsurely. He looked from Joe to Beth and back to Joe again.

Joe laughed in response. "Not for most people, son, but, see, I give the lifeguards a pretty significant discount… And lucky for you, you're with one!".

Daryl nodded to the older man and handed him a $20 bill. Daryl took his change and thanked Joe. He turned to Beth, unsure of what where she wanted to sit, since the grill had an inside and outside seating area.

Beth noticed his uncertainty and, without hesitation, reached out for Daryl's elbow and led him over to a table inside the café, over towards the side, out of the way off the counter and all the foot traffic coming in and out. Beth loved to be outside, but she savored these nice moments inside during her lunch time when she often came into the grill, sat over against the wall, in the air conditioning, and enjoyed the cool. South Carolina coastal summers were gut-wrenchingly hot sometimes and moments in the air conditioning made her 10 hour shifts outside a little more bearable.

After Daryl sat down at the table, Beth realized that they hadn't gotten their drink cups from Joe and she started moving back towards the counter, turning to Daryl and saying "Be right back!". It made more sense for her to just go ahead and get their drinks herself – she just hoped that Daryl also wanted a Coke, just like shed did. She spoke quickly to Joe, who handed her two huge paper cups. Beth then walked over to the soda machine and filled up both cups with ice and Coke. She carried them back to the table, sitting one right in front of Daryl, while talking a large sip out of the other.

"I could have done that" Daryl said, seemingly a little embarrassed that Beth was fussing over him. For some reason, Beth wanted to let him know it was okay, that she liked taking care of people. So she reached over and patted his hand gently. He looked down at her hand and then looked back at her, with a surprised expression on his face. Beth wasn't sure if it had made him uncomfortable, so she quickly moved her hand away.

Beth instantly felt awkward. The light-heartedness from their moments ordering at the counter had passed and Daryl had returned to a bit more of a stoic countenance. Beth was sure that her own sudden seriousness hadn't helped him feel any more at ease. She wasn't sure what to do now, or what to say to take the conversation back in a more upbeat direction.

"Thanks for lunch" she finally said, taking another long sip of Coke and looking over her cup at Daryl. Daryl was also nursing his drink, obviously nervous and unsure what to say. Beth knew she needed to take the lead in the conversation – but she was strangely nervous around this man and she had no idea why. She realized, suddenly that maybe it had something to do with those butterflies she'd felt in her stomach. The thought unnerved her. She didn't even know this man and here she was sitting across the table from him, nervous and unsure of what to say.

Daryl nodded at Beth's thanks and, after an awkward moment passed, spoke up. "It's the least I can do… I should thank you for your kindness this morning… I… I don't know why you came up to me like you did, but… I… I'm sorry if I was so short. I… uh… I was in a bad place".

Beth just looked over at Daryl and nodded. She was afraid that if she asked questions, or said anything at all, Daryl wouldn't want to share. She didn't know why he felt like he needed to explain himself to her, but she hoped he'd open up to her more, even if it took a bit of time. She decided to just be silent for another moment, and let Daryl decide whether he'd continue talking about himself.

The silence was interrupted by Joe, calling out Daryl's name, telling him that their orders were ready. Daryl quickly got up, eying Beth and giving her a forced smile, and walked over to the counter. Joe handed him both of their orders, which were identical. As Daryl turned back towards her, though, Joe said something to Daryl, causing him to turn back around. Beth couldn't make out what he was saying, and she hoped it wasn't something that would make Daryl uncomfortable. Daryl's only response to Joe's words was a definitive nod and he headed back to the table.

After Daryl had placed their baskets in front of their respective chairs and taken his seat again, Beth thanked him and then enthusiastically exclaimed "let's dig in!". This brought a small smile to Daryl's face as he nodded and started to eye his food.

"So, uh… You originally from around here?" Daryl asked Beth all of a sudden. She thought it was cute that he'd decided to make conversation.

"No…." she responded, using her napkin to wipe her mouth. She would be mortified if she started talking and had something all over her face. "I'm originally from Georgia… a small town about an hour outside of Atlanta".

"Oh yeah?" Daryl questioned. "Where exactly?"

"You wouldn't have heard of it… it's a tiny place… Newborn, Georgia. I grew up there… my parents still own a pretty decent sized farm there". Beth noticed right away that her mention of Newton had cause Daryl to have a strange reaction.

"You're shitting me!?" Daryl said, maybe a little too forcefully. He looked over at Beth with a crazed expression on his face. "I'm from Covington!".

"What? Really? Are you kidding?" Beth asked. She couldn't believe that even though they were both at least 5 hours away from their homes in Georgia, that they'd both originally lived in neighboring towns.

"Really", Daryl responded as he picked up his hamburger and resumed his lunch. "Small world, I guess?" he added. Beth could tell that something about him had relaxed now. Maybe the realization that they'd both grown up within 15 miles of each other's homes made him see her on equal footing. She wasn't sure, but she was glad to see some of the tension in Daryl's shoulders start to release.

Their conversation drifted into where they both went to high school, places they liked to go growing up, and interesting commonalities between their lives, since they'd both come from towns very close to one another. Beth found herself in an easy conversation with Daryl and she couldn't help but start to see a gleam starting to return to his eyes. This morning, those eyes looked empty, lost, and hurt, but now, they seemed more alive. Beth didn't know what had changed for Daryl, but she was grateful.

"So, what brought you up this way, then?" Daryl asked, after they had both chatted exhaustively about all things related to Georgia.

"Oh, well… I always loved this area. When I was young, my family started coming here on vacation because my uncle lived here and he opened up his home to use every year for a week or two of vacation. Then… well… when I got old enough, sometimes I'd come up on my own with my older sister and visit, or, bring a girlfriend. Before my senior year in high school, my father finally agreed to let me spend the summer here lifeguarding. After that… well… after I'd really lived here for a summer… I couldn't leave. I decided that after I graduated I'd move back for good and go to college at the USC campus in Bluffton.", Beth explained.

"So, you stay with your uncle still, or…?" Daryl started to ask.

"Yes… well… no. Ha! Kind of. He actually doesn't really live here anymore. He got a big job offer in California 2 years ago. So he lives out there now. But we made a deal that I'd stay at the house, and take care of it, and he'd pay all the utilities… I guess he'd be paying them anyway just to maintain the house! It's been so amazing… It's such a cool place to live and all I have to worry about is earning enough for groceries and other things like clothes. And I work a lot in the summers since I don't go to class, so that helps me save up money to pay for school expenses too". Beth realized she was sharing a lot with Daryl all of a sudden – a lot of personal things about her living situation and her finances. But for some reason she trusted him. She could tell, somehow, although she didn't know how, that he was a good man.

"Wow", Daryl said. "Sounds like you've got a perfect setup!". Beth wasn't sure at first if the tone in his voice was complete sincerity of if there was a tad bit of another less desirable emotion. The last thing she wanted was for Daryl to think she was bragging about her perfect life. She loved her life – she enjoyed college, loved lifeguarding, and had lots of friends and stayed close with her family. But she also often felt very alone, particularly living a very large house all by herself. She also hadn't ever quite gotten over the loss of her brother Shaun – he had tragically been killed when she was 15 and the thought of it still stung like a slap in the face.

"Tell me more about yourself, Daryl. What brought you to Hilton Head?" Beth said, as she tried to take the focus off of herself and place it back onto Daryl. She wanted to know more about him – she knew almost nothing. And she had a strange desire to ask him all about his life, his family, and his interests. As soon as those words left her mouth though, Daryl looked at her with a cold expression. Beth all of a sudden worried – what had she said and why was he looking at her like a deer in the headlights? She was partially embarrassed for feeling like she was prying and muttered out, "Oh… sorry… You don't have to tell me…", but Daryl interrupted her.

"No, Beth. I should. It's fine. Maybe… maybe it'll be good to talk to somebody about it. Ya know?" Daryl said, seemingly trying to assure himself of what he was saying more than asking Beth.

Beth nodded her head. She wasn't sure what he meant. But she couldn't help but think that it had something to do with why he'd been sitting out on the beach for such a long period of time. She waited patiently for him to continue.

Finally, he spoke up again. "See… I… uh… I moved her for my girlfriend. Back in January".

"Oh…." Beth responded quickly. She didn't mean to say it, but it was her first reaction. Of course this man had a girlfriend, she thought. She was naïve to think anything otherwise.

"Yeah… she… has a business here and wanted me to move in with her and work for her company. I… I've done a lot of construction in the past… and she needed someone. So… well… I agreed", Daryl explained.

"Okay", Beth said, with a bit of uncertainty still hanging in her voice. She still wasn't sure where this explanation was going.

"But, it didn't work out. With her, I mean… The job was fine… Great actually… But, well… I obviously wasn't what she wanted… She… uh… God. Why is this so hard to say? I might as well just spit it out… She… She cheated on me." Daryl seemed almost in tears now, as he recollected the events that had brought him to this point. Beth, without thinking, reached out for his hand again, just like she'd done earlier. It was only meant to be a small reassurance and she only meant to pat the top of his hand a couple of times. But once she placed her hand over Daryl's she couldn't move it away. He seemed like he needed her support in that moment and for some strange reason, she was drawn to him and nothing would have stopped her from comforting him. Her grasp on his hand started to tighten and before she knew it, she was moving out of her chair and into the one directly next to Daryl, pulling herself close enough that she could put a comforting hand on his back. Daryl continued to look down at the table, but didn't move away from Beth's touches. She hoped that her response to him hadn't scared, but he'd given her no indication that he wanted her to stop what she was doing.

Beth just sat there with Daryl for what seemed like hours. She wanted to give him the time he needed to do what he needed. She wasn't sure if he would say anymore, but she thought he deserved the opportunity.

"I'm here for you… I… I know we just met, but, everyone needs a friend. And… well… I don't think it's a coincidence that you just happened to be sitting so close to my lifeguard chair this morning. If you want to talk about things… anything at all… I'm here to listen". Beth wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say to Daryl, but she hoped it conveyed what she hoped it would.

With her words, Daryl looked up at her, for the first time in a long time. He looked straight into her eyes, his own blue eyes piercing through hers like nothing she'd ever seen. He nodded in response to her offer and then suddenly started to speak again. Little by little, he told Beth about everything. He told her about meeting Andrea, and about her inviting him to move to Hilton Head. He told her about her lifestyle and how it had made him uncomfortable at times that she was so materialistic and concerned with appearances. He told her about Andrea's friends calling him her "man candy" and how over time he'd started to believe that she might see him that way as well. And finally, she told him about their fight, that Friday night, and how he'd left. He seemed to pour his heart out to Beth and she just sat and listened, with one hand on his and the other still firmly on his back.

Lastly, Daryl confided to Beth about his immediate concerns. He had no job and no place to live. Beth suddenly felt horrible for letting Daryl pay for her lunch, even if it had been less than $10, but he seemingly knew what she was thinking and reassured her that he had plenty of money saved. His concerns were more about the practicality of finding a place to live without any real job prospects or contacts.

Their conversation went on and on and Beth was so lost in it all, lost in Daryl, that she lost all track of time. She realized that she had no idea what time it was – but she didn't want to abruptly tell Daryl that she had to go. So she continued to sit there with him, hoping the conversation might lighten enough for her to mention that she really did need to get back to work.

All of a sudden, a stern voice from behind her brought her completely back to reality.

"Beth! It's 3:30! You've been off your chair for the last 3 hours! What in the world are you doing in here?".

Beth and Daryl both turned around towards the source of the voice.

It was Zach.


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl panicked. When he turned around to see Zach standing there, after hearing his voice behind him and Beth, he realized the source of the voice he'd heard on the beach yesterday. Yes, this was the man who tried to talk to him yesterday – the man who he'd never looked at or responded to. Zach was also dressed in a lifeguard uniform, so he assumed he was a co-worker of Beth's. But what panicked Daryl was the tone in the man's voice and the crazy look in his eyes – it hinted at something a lot more than Beth having too long of a lunch break. Was this her boyfriend? Girls like her were certainly always spoken for, he thought to himself – why would he have thought that a girl as beautiful and sweet as Beth would be single? And didn't they always end up with these kinds of guys – the muscly, jock types that were overconfident and quick to start a fight.

What really plagued Daryl's mind, though, was why really cared? He barely knew her! What he did know, though, was that see seemed special, that she had sat with him and comforted him, not demanding anything of him, but just letting him process through the events of the last couple of days of his life.

This guy, the lifeguard, had an almost angry expression on his face and Daryl couldn't help but feel anxious. He needed to get out of here, needed to put some space between himself and Beth. He wasn't sure what was happening in this situation right now, but one thing he was certain about was that his presence seemed not only unwelcome, but he couldn't imagine anything good coming from him being there. So he quickly got up from the table and almost ran towards the door, not giving a second glance or a word back towards Beth.

Once he got outside, his feet just carried him along – he didn't have a plan, but he just knew he needed to get away. Back at the café, he'd instantly recognized the fight or flight response rising up in his body – and so, he'd fled, unsure of what to say or do in the coming confrontation between Beth and Zach. He had learned a lot about getting out of bad situations as a child – his father was a terrible alcoholic and seemed to find sport in beating up Daryl and his older brother, Merle. While Merle had encouraged Daryl to fight back against their dad, especially as he had gotten older and stronger, Daryl had often found that his first response was just to run, to put whatever distance he could between him and his miserable excuse for a father.

Daryl lost himself in his thoughts – thinking about Beth, thinking about the situation with Andrea, and wondering what in the world he was going to do now. Before he knew it, he'd found himself walking down the beach, but somewhat unsure of where he was. How far had he walked? How much time had passed since he walked out of the café? He wasn't sure – but he looked down at his watch and saw that it was almost 5 o'clock. He couldn't believe that over an hour had passed and it seemed like the blink of an eye. He knew he needed to turn around and at least make his way back to his truck. He'd figure out a plan from there.

He turned and continued to let his mind wander – but this time, his thoughts focused solely on Beth. He knew that he'd probably never see her again. He had made a fool of himself, both by being so emotional during lunch and by storming out of the café. He doubted she wanted to have anything to do with him anyway, he was such a mess emotionally, and didn't even have a job or a place to live. She deserved much more than he could give her – not just now, but in the future. He wasn't sure why he found her so captivating, even after his relationship with Andrea had ended so suddenly, only just a couple of days ago, he was fixated with thoughts of Beth. She almost seemed like an angel – sweet, gentle, compassionate, and unbelievably beautiful.

As Daryl approached the parking lot, he was still lost in his thoughts, paying no attention to those around him, families packing up to head back inside for the evening. All of a sudden, though, he heard his name behind him. It hardly registered, until he heard it again. He spun around to see Beth standing before him. He stood there for a moment, shocked, not knowing what to say or do. After a moment passed a huge smile came onto Beth's face and she lunged toward him, reaching up and circling her tiny arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"Oh thank God" she whispered sweetly. She hugged him for a moment and then pulled back slightly, not breaking contact, but moving just far enough that she could look at his face. "What happened to you at the café, Daryl? What… what was that? You just left! I was so worried about you… I was so afraid that I wouldn't see you again". Daryl was taken aback. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. He didn't hug her back, although if it bothered her, she didn't let it show.

"Damn, Beth… I don't know…" Daryl started. He wanted to explain himself. But he didn't know how. And he surely didn't know why she was still so concerned about him. He thought she'd have gone running for the hills after what had happened earlier.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked. Her voice sounded so genuine, he couldn't help but be taken by her, by her sincerity and just genuine goodness.

"Yeah… I… I think so. I'm sorry, Beth. I… I don't know what came over me earlier… but… I just… I had to get out of there. I wasn't about to get in some… some fight with your boyfriend." Daryl felt a little shaky, nervous. He wasn't sure why, but he stumbled on his words. He had a hard time looking at Beth. But when he finally did, she had a funny look on her face.

"Daryl… Zach isn't my boyfriend. He's my boss!" she seemed amused that he would suggest that. "I… I don't have a boyfriend…" Beth said shyly. Now she was the one that wasn't looking at him. He wasn't sure if her face was flushed because she'd been in the sun all day, or because she was blushing. Daryl realized in that moment how much he wanted to reach out to her. He had only met her a few hours ago, and now, for some reason, she seemed to have some kind of hold over him – and all Daryl wanted to do was embrace it. He wanted to know more about her. She had told him a few things at lunch, but he had so many more questions to ask.

But he couldn't. He had to be stronger than that. She was too good for him and his wounds from his break-up with Andrea were too fresh in his mind. He felt defeated, unworthy of love, and a host of other emotions – all bleeding together within him and making him feel like this beautiful angel in front of him was just a mirage, just something his mind had dreamed up.

Daryl must have been lost in his thoughts too long again, because all of a sudden, Beth spoke. "Daryl?" she asked tentatively, looking up at him with concern on her face.

"Yeah… sorry… did you say something?" Daryl responded.

"No…" she said. "You just seemed like you were frozen or something… like your mind was 10,000 miles away. Are you okay?".

"As good as I can be. Yeah. I'm okay" Daryl said, growing more confident as he spoke. He realized then that he would be okay, he was strong, he could deal with the disappointments he'd just experienced – he'd had a lot of practice in dealing with disappointments in life.

"Alright" she said. "Then come on". Beth started to walk towards the parking lot. She turned around after a few steps, realizing that Daryl wasn't moving, and waved for Daryl to follow her.

And, for some reason, his feet started moving before his mind did. After he'd reached her, he finally asked, "What? Um… where are we going?". He was unsure what she was asking him to do. Maybe she was just trying to get him off of the beach? He'd been out there way too long as it was.

"You're coming with me. I have plenty of extra space and you don't have anywhere else to go." Beth said, very matter-of-factly.

Daryl was surprised. He hardly knew her. She hardly knew him. Why would she want to bring him into her house – no, her rich uncle's house? Wouldn't he be mad if he found out that his sweet niece had brought a vagrant from the beach into his home? He shook his head. No, he couldn't do this to her. He couldn't get her into trouble with her family. And he was vulnerable and mysteriously drawn to Beth, like a moth to a flame. He was afraid – he didn't want to cross a boundary that she didn't intend to, or that he wasn't ready to.

"No, Beth… I… I can't. You don't even know me! Why would you trust me like that?" he said. He realized that his voice sounded a little harsher than he intended. He was worried, though, about why she'd just blindly bring someone into her home that she didn't know – it wasn't safe.

Beth stepped closer to him, putting her hand tentatively on his forearm. "I do know you, Daryl… You're a good man. You need somewhere to stay for a bit, right? I can do that. I can help!" she said. She omitted positivity, hope, and trust. Daryl could see in her eyes that she was serious, earnest in almost pleading with him to come with her, to let her help. And he knew he shouldn't – but he couldn't turn her down. For some reason, he couldn't tell her "no".

So he didn't. "Okay", he replied and with that, they both started walking towards the parking lot. It seemed that nothing else needed to be said. But Daryl had a deja vu moment. He realized he felt exactly the same as he had hours earlier as he was walking with Beth, across this same area of beach, towards the café. And all he could feel was a little bit of joy creep into his heart – but more than anything, he wondered what in the world he had gotten himself into.


	5. Chapter 5

As Beth pulled out of the beach parking lot, she couldn't help but have mixed emotions. On one hand, she was pretty pleased with herself. She had convinced Daryl to come and stay with her, at least for the night, and she was glad that he'd put aside his uncertainties about it and allowed her to help him. Not to mention, there was something about Daryl that she couldn't explain – she wanted to get to know him more. She couldn't help but think there was something much deeper and softer under that hard exterior that you were immediately struck with upon meeting him. On the other hand, though, she was a little anxious as well. While she had a good feeling about Daryl, a feeling that he was a nice and genuinely respectful guy, she still didn't know much about him. She also didn't want word of his presence in the house making its way back to her uncle.

When Beth had decided to go to college in the area, her father had an honest conversation with his brother about the possibility of her living with him. Her uncle was very willing to let her move in, as she'd agreed to help out around the house, assisting with cooking, cleaning, laundry, and other work that he'd often times found difficult to get done given his long work hours. Her uncle, who had always lived alone, never marrying or having children because of his strict devotion to his work, was delighted to have her living with him, and it didn't take long for him to wonder what he'd ever done without Beth there holding the household together, keeping it running. A couple of years ago, at the beginning of her sophomore year, he'd gotten a job offer in California and the agreement was made that Beth could stay at the home as long as she took care of it and followed the rules that her uncle set out. He had always operated under a friendly guise of "I'll trust you until you give me a reason not to" – and many of his rules reflected this. However, he had a very strict policy about no male overnight guests, except members of the family. She knew that this was based partially in his religious beliefs and partially in his overall concern for Beth's safety and well-being. Over the time that Beth stayed with her uncle, they'd become extremely close and he always looked out for her, especially when it came to the guys she dated or spent time with. Beth knew she was lucky to have garnered such a good relationship with her uncle and to be able to live free of charge in his home – she would never want to do anything to break his trust and cause him to question her.

But she knew Daryl needed help, needed a place to go – and in this moment, she knew she was doing the right thing by trusting him, even if it made her a little apprehensive.

Beth looked in the rearview mirror of her car, making sure Daryl was still following right behind her. She saw the form of the Ford pickup truck that he drove and wondered how he felt in that moment. Was he anxious too? She also started to realize, in that moment, that she had no idea what she would actually do when they got home. Would he want to hang out with her? Talk more, maybe? Should she go and get them some dinner? Maybe rent a movie? Beth wasn't sure about that – it sounded a lot like a date, and she didn't want to give Daryl the wrong idea. While she really liked Daryl already, for reasons she couldn't really explain, she didn't want him to think she was trying to push their newfound friendship into a different direction. Most importantly too, was Daryl's own broken heart, which needed time to heal. She wanted to respect that and not put Daryl into a situation that he might feel uncomfortable in.

Beth realized she was over thinking things, and as she slowly pulled into her driveway, with Daryl right behind her, she decided that she would just play things by ear, see how she thought Daryl felt, and what he might want, and go from there.

As Beth climbed out of her car, Daryl also was stepping out of his truck, a look of uncertainty on his face. His face, and then his words, confirmed with Beth that her earlier questions about him had been true – he was very anxious too.

"Uhh… You sure about this, Beth?" he asked, looking up at the home. She could tell by his expression that the house was bigger than he anticipated.

"Yes! I'm positive, Daryl! Come on!", she said, brushing off her own concerns and waving him to follow into the house. "How much stuff do you have?" she asked. "Can I help you with it?".

"Nah… I got it… Ain't all that much" Daryl said, as he grabbed a couple of bags that had been in the passenger seat and headed toward her. As he approached her, Beth saw that he carried a fairly large black suitcase and a large duffle bag. She was struck with the thought of how heavy those bags looked, especially since they seemingly contained almost all of Daryl's possessions. Yet, he carried them as if they weighed nothing.

As they stepped into the door, Daryl seemed to hesitate again, but Beth reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him forward so that she could close and lock the door.

"Let's find you a place to put your things" Beth said casually. She wasn't sure which room she should put Daryl in – there were several unoccupied rooms in the house. When her uncle moved to California, he had moved all of his things out of the master suite, putting them into a smaller room instead – he did occasionally visit and still needed a place to call his own (especially since it was his house). Beth had been persuaded to move into the master suite – it was almost unbelievable to her, having a huge walk-in closet, large bedroom with an attached lounge area, and a massive bathroom. She knew she didn't need that kind of space, but she had enjoyed the luxury of it, nonetheless. While one of the free rooms was upstairs near her own, two more were downstairs. She wasn't sure if the distance would be good or bad, but she quickly decided for both their sakes that downstairs was best. So she chose one and led Daryl towards it.

As she walked into the room, Daryl behind her, she mentioned to him where the bathroom was that he could use, and where to look for towels and anything else he might need. Daryl had been out on the beach since late Friday night and Beth thought that maybe he'd want to shower immediately, although she wasn't sure. But once she'd mentioned the bathroom, Daryl thanked her and indicated that he did, in fact intend to shower. "I'm sure I smell awful" he said, seeming all of a sudden self-conscious in the sudden realization of his current state.

"Actually… you don't", was all Beth could muster to respond. She thought for a moment and then asked, "Would you want to have some dinner after you're done cleaning up? I can just order a pizza or something like that".

"Pizza sounds great. But let me pay for it…." Daryl responded, as he started to reach into his pants pocket for cash. But Beth stopped him.

"No… you paid for lunch. So it's my turn, remember?". She looked up at him with a sweet smile. She was still feeling so anxious – and she could tell that Daryl was too. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife and all she wanted to do was lighten the mood. That, and get out of there. So as soon as Daryl nodded, somewhat begrudgingly, she thought, she turned around and headed out the door. When she got to the door she stopped, turned around, and asked, "Oh… forgot to ask you what you'd like on the pizza…?".

"Anything's fine…" Daryl said. "Just… just no mushrooms. I hate them."

Beth smiled back at him. "No mushrooms, then!". She walked away, leaving Daryl to his shower.

* * *

><p>Daryl wasn't sure how long he'd been in the shower. While he was in there his mind had wondered and he kept coming back to one question – what in the world was he doing here? He knew it seemed crazy to come here, but he didn't have any other options, not really anyway. And there was something about Beth that he knew he could trust. Something about Beth was different, special. He had been involved with many women in his thirty-two years of life, but what he felt about Beth wasn't like what he'd felt after meeting any of those other women in the past. He couldn't quite his finger on it, but there was something a lot more to her than just sexual attraction. Sure, he thought she was unbelievably attractive physically, but he was drawn even more to her personality.<p>

Standing in the shower felt so nice that he just lost himself in the warm, as well as the warmth that thoughts of Beth made grow inside of him. Why did she make him feel that way? So at peace, so calm. And how, at the same time, did he also feel anxious, nervous, when he was around her?

After what was certainly too long of a shower, he stepped out, toweled off, and dressed in some fresh clothes. Daryl combed his wet hair back as best he could – it had gotten long since moving to Hilton Head and Andrea hadn't wanted him to cut it, telling him that it looked sexy. But now, one of the first things he wanted to do was cut it. Coming out of his room, he wasn't even sure where to find Beth, but as he wondered back towards the entryway where they'd come into the house, he heard her – she was singing. And she had the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard. And he knew it was crazy, but he stopped, dead in his tracks, and just listened. Finally, after several minutes had passed and she had started on a new song, he willed his bare feet to move again, entering the large kitchen where she was. She was sitting at the bar that bordered on the kitchen with a half empty beer in front of her and a huge pizza box from Giuseppi's Pizza. She was wearing a large t-shirt and her hair was pulled up into a messy knot on the top of her head.

"Beer and pizza, huh? My kinda girl…" Daryl said as he walked in, immediately realizing he'd spoken without thinking and the awkward context of his comment.

Beth looked up quickly and smiled. Daryl wasn't sure if she knew that he'd heard her singing, and decided not to mention it. What would he say, anyway? You voice sounds like an angel's? Like the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard? After his "my kinda girl" comment, he wasn't sure he trusted himself to say much at all.

But Beth didn't seem to mind the comment and offered him a beer as well. He agreed and she got up to get it from the fridge, as well as some plates. Daryl sat down at the bar stool right next to where she'd been sitting. Once she'd settled the items on the bar in front of both of them, she flipped open the box.

"I hope you like ham and pineapple. I probably should have gotten something more simple… but it's my favorite. And you said anything but mushrooms!" Beth gushed. She gave him a huge smile and he thought that even if the pizza had been anchovies, he would have been happy to eat it, as long as he was sitting there with her.

"Actually I love it… one of my favorites", Daryl replied. He was pleasantly surprised that Beth chose something that he liked so much. It seemed like a lot of girls just defaulted to pepperoni. That was fine, but just a little dull as far as Daryl was concerned. If he was honest with himself, pizza was one of his favorites. He'd eaten a lot of it in his life – maybe because it was fairly cheap, or because it was easy to come by and could be delivered before almost any other type of restaurant offered that type of service.

"Good!" Beth replied and started to help herself to a piece. "Then let's eat – I'm starving!".

Daryl couldn't help but laugh. Even though their lunch had been interrupted, Beth had eaten all of her food, from what he remembered. And he'd thought that was a lot. And now she was diving into this pizza, with a beer on top. This tiny little thing really could eat – and he couldn't help but love how carefree she was about it all. She wasn't afraid to be herself, she didn't try to pretend – and that made Daryl feel a bit more at ease being himself as well. He looked over at her and smiled, helping himself to a slice as well, following her lead. He couldn't help but love that she was content to just sit on the bar stools in the kitchen, eating pizza and drinking beer. He liked simple things in life, and couldn't help but think that Beth seemed to too.

They fell into an easy conversation. Daryl told Beth about his family, sharing a lot more than he'd intended to at the beginning. He told her how his father had been an alcoholic, and horribly abusive to him, his brother, and his mother. He told her about his brother Merle and how he was always in trouble with the law. And he told her about his mother's death when he was only 12 years old. Beth, in turn, shared about her family, which was much more functional, it seemed – her older sister Maggie, her older brother Shaun, and her parents, Hershel and Annette. Daryl learned that Maggie and Shaun had a different mother than Beth, but that their mother had died, leaving Hershel in a terrible state. He had taken to drinking, most every day and night, and Beth's mother, who had lived nearby had been there to help with the children and help Hershel through his grief. Daryl couldn't help but think, in that moment, that it must be in Beth's genes to help those who were in difficult situations.

The conversation between the two went on and on. They shared about their lives, funny stories, and serious ones too. They both talked about things they liked to do and interests they had. Beth told Daryl about her studies in college, and he learned that she hoped to be an elementary music teacher, and that she would start her senior year in August, part of which would include student teaching at a local elementary school. Beth also told Daryl that while her plan had never included staying in Hilton Head after graduating, she'd fallen in love with the area and hoped to find a job in the Beaufort County school district once she'd graduated.

Before either realized it, it was 3 a.m. – they'd lost all track of time.

"I had no idea it was so late" Beth said, after they'd both realized the time. "I hardly slept at all this weekend… so I've gotta get some rest!" Beth stood quickly and took she and Daryl's plates to the sink. Daryl also stood quickly, picking up the half dozen empty beer bottles they'd collected and taking them to the sink as well.

"Yeah… of course. I'm sorry…" Daryl said, starting to apologize as he walked up next to Beth. He all of a sudden felt terrible about monopolizing Beth's time.

"Daryl…" Beth said, turning towards him, and placing her hand on his forearm. She had a way of doing that just in the right moments – her way of providing reassurance. "You don't need to apologize to me, okay? I wanted to stay up… I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay…" Daryl responded. It was all he could muster. In that moment he realized how close Beth was to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow" Beth said. Daryl thought she would walk away, but instead, she reached up and put her arms around his neck, bring him into a hug, just like she'd done when she'd found him at the beach that afternoon. At first, he didn't really respond, he just stood there. And then, all of a sudden, his brought his arms up around her, pulling her even closer.

"Thank you, Beth… for everything" Daryl whispered.

Daryl knew he should pull away, but he couldn't. And for some reason, Beth didn't either. They just stood there, for what seemed like several minutes, both wordless.

Finally, Beth pulled away, just enough that she could look Daryl in the eyes. Her face was only inches away from his now and he looked down on her angelic face and felt so at peace – he felt like anything else that had been on his mind was now a thousand miles away. She kept his gaze for some time, then suddenly turning, without anything else, walking out of the kitchen. "Goodnight!" she finally called to him, already out of sight.

"Goodnight, Beth" Daryl said. He wasn't sure she'd even heard him, but he was glued to the spot where he heard. He thought there would be more conversation about what tomorrow would hold. Would she need to leave early in the morning to go to work? Would he need to leave? Of course, he thought. He'd need to start looking for a job anyway, and figure out a better living situation. He couldn't stay here with Beth passed this one night, he knew that.

For some reason though, it pained him to think about leaving. The more he got to know this girl, the more he wanted to know – and the more he wanted to be around her. He knew that was a dangerous thought. But as he made his way towards his room, finally, he couldn't help but think one thing – this was the best night he'd had in as long as he could remember. He couldn't help but feel like he could be himself around Beth. She didn't mind who he really was, even if he was a bit rough around the edges. And after his relationship with Andrea, he couldn't help but appreciate that about her.

Daryl knew he couldn't start something romantic with Beth right now. He wanted to, God, did he want to. In the kitchen a few minutes earlier, when he'd looked down at her sweet face, just inches from his, he'd wanted to close the distance and kiss her. He almost did. But he knew he couldn't. He wasn't ready. And he wouldn't make the same mistake he did with Andrea – he wouldn't jump into another relationship that didn't have any real depth. No, now, Daryl would be content just to be friends with Beth. That was probably all she wanted anyway, right? Her certainly wouldn't do anything to make her uncomfortable around him, anything that would make her second guess his presence. Yes, being friends could be enough for him. In less than a day's time he recognized that he'd do almost anything just to stay near her.

Daryl undressed down to his underwear and slowly slipped into bed. It felt strange being here in this bed, but at the same time, if felt wonderful. He knew Beth wasn't far away and it filled his heart with pure joy. For some reason, he felt like he had nothing to worry about – he knew everything would work out for him somehow, even if he had no idea how. Daryl should have been tired - he hadn't slept in 2 days! But his mind was filled with so many other thoughts, it was hard for him to turn his mind off. So he closed his eyes and tried to find sleep – but all he could do was think about Beth's face.


	6. Chapter 6

Beth woke up groggily on Monday morning. For a few seconds, she thought it was any old average Monday. But then she remembered… Daryl. He was here, at her house – and she wasn't sure what the day would bring. They hadn't talked at all about his plans for the day, or hers for that matter. She had planned to mention it last night. But, then they'd had that moment in the kitchen and she lost all her sensibilities. She really thought Daryl was going to kiss her. And for a second, she wanted him to. But she knew she couldn't, he couldn't, that it wouldn't make sense. It would have just been an emotional act, and as over-emotional as Daryl had been, that kind of thing wouldn't help anyone. She was glad that she'd found the strength to pull away, although she hadn't been able to say anything, other than calling out a haphazard "goodnight" once she'd gotten out of the kitchen.

Beth lay in bed for a while, just pondering the situation with Daryl. She was strangely drawn to him. Yes, he was a bit rough around the edges, but for some reason, with Daryl, she didn't mind. She couldn't help but find it refreshing that he seemed happy to just be himself around her. Beth had been around too many guys that tried too hard to impress her – and inevitably she found out later on that they weren't really anything like they'd tried to seem at first. She couldn't help but wonder why Daryl was so different. It occurred to her, though, that maybe he really was just focusing on getting through his pain, and wasn't interested in impressing Beth. He just wanted to be her friend, Beth thought. And that was okay with her. She knew that was what he needed – and more than anything right now, she wanted to help.

She finally pulled herself out of her own thoughts and drug herself from her bed. She was tired, but that was to be expected after her late night talking to Daryl. Beth moved quickly to her bathroom, washing her face and brushing her teeth. Her hair looked like an absolute mess, so she took it down, shook it out, and flipped her head over, putting it back up into a top knot that wasn't quite as wild as before. She still had on the oversized t-shirt and tiny yoga shorts from the night before, but didn't bother to change as she padded down the hallway towards the kitchen. She wasn't sure if Daryl would be up but she figured she needed to find them some breakfast before they talked about the events of the day.

As she approached the kitchen, the house was quiet. Daryl must still be sleeping, she thought. That made sense though, since he hadn't slept since Thursday night. She couldn't help but think it was possible that he might not even wake up all day – and that would be okay, she thought – he needed the rest.

Beth walked over to the large kitchen window, looking outside at the beautiful summer day outside. Quickly, though, she noticed that Daryl's truck was no longer parked behind her car in the driveway. It was gone. Fear and frustration rose inside of Beth, and before she knew it, she was moving quickly towards his room. When she got there and walked in, it almost looked like no one had ever been there. Had he even slept here, Beth wondered, or did he leave immediately after their late night conversations? The bed was made just as perfectly as it always was. She walked into the bathroom and noticed there was water in the shower and a damp towel was neatly draped over the sink – so she knew that Daryl had at least showered in the last couple of hours. She looked all around, but his bags were gone.

All Beth could feel was hurt. She had poured everything into helping this man. She had shared things with him last night that were deeply personal – she hadn't intended to, but she felt like she could trust him and his presence seemed so comfortable to her, as if she'd known him more than one day. Before she realized, tears were streaming down her face. Why was she so disappointed by this? Why was she experiencing such a crushing feeling, her heart literally aching inside her chest?

Beth sat on the bed in the guest room for a long time. At one point, she laid her head down on the pillow – and then she noticed it – Daryl's smell. He had slept there, but he must have left this morning before she'd gotten up. She didn't understand. Had she done something wrong? Said something wrong?

She finally got up from the bed, telling herself that she shouldn't be upset. She didn't even know Daryl – she'd only known him for 24 hours. She couldn't let him affect her like this. She walked back into the kitchen, grabbed a granola bar and ate it quickly. She moved back to her room, deciding to quickly change so that she could go for a run. She knew that would help her clear her head, and refocus on the day ahead. She couldn't let Daryl impact her this way and bring her down. She just couldn't. She changed into a matching sports bra and running shorts, quickly putting on her socks and shoes, and grabbing her iPod and armband.

She headed out the door, locking it behind her and securing the key inside the hidden pocket in her shorts. After a few moments of stretching, and then finding a good mix on her iPod, she started down the driveway. She quickly picked up her speed, being spurred on by her own feelings of frustration about Daryl and the angry tone of the music she was listening to. She realized that she'd instinctively moved past her normal "Good Running Music" playlist and, instead, selected her "Girl Power Mix" list, which she always listened to when she was frustrated, mad, or hurt because of a boy.

Beth thought that running would help her calm down, clear her mind. It normally did that for her. But not today. Instead, as her heart rate increased, so did her anger with Daryl. How dare he just leave, without so much as a parting word or a note! She usually ran at a quick, but steady and comfortable pace. Today, though, she found herself pushing harder and harder as her anger continued to bubble up. She clenched her jaw tight, more frustrated than she'd been in a long time. She couldn't get her mind off this situation and what made her even more frustrated is that she knew she was overreacting. It was obvious. She shouldn't be so upset about someone she had just met. She felt like a fool for caring so much.

Beth had always been quick to care about someone or something she deemed important. She always wanted to help, no matter the situation and no matter the cost or effort required. Her father often joked about this, although he was proud that his younger daughter had such a big heart. He loved to tell people about the time that Beth came home from 4th grade, telling him that her teacher had talked about children that didn't have the school supplies they needed. The school had organized a school supply drive; but for Beth, that wasn't enough. She organized her own drive, at her local church, also dropping off collection boxes at businesses across town, including her dad's vet office. The school had been so impressed by Beth's efforts, and the massive amount of stuff she'd collected, that they recognized her with a special service award at the end-of-year awards ceremony. Beth couldn't have cared less about the award, only thinking about her plans for making the next year's efforts bigger and better.

Yes, Beth had always had that huge heart. But she knew that sometimes it could get her into trouble. She'd experienced that too times, but the hurt only ever seemed to last long enough for her to find someone or something else who needed help.

After about 45 minutes, Beth had completed her normal neighborhood loop. Demi Lovato and Cher Lloyd's "Really Don't Care" was playing on her iPod and as she moved towards her driveway, she had started to sing along with the lyrics.

"Maybe I should've known… maybe I should've known…That you would walk, you would walk out the door… Hey!" Beth sang.

She was so focused on her thoughts, as she slowed down while running down the driveway, back towards the house that she didn't notice the familiar truck parked in her driveway. She didn't notice, that is, until she saw a man sitting on her front porch, a white paper bag sitting on the step next to him, as well as two large cups of what she assumed was coffee. His elbows were resting on his knees and his head was in one hand.

He looked up just in time to here Beth speak.

"Daryl?"

* * *

><p>Daryl looked up at Beth, right as she said his name. His beautiful blue eyes felt like they were boring into her soul and all of a sudden, Beth couldn't breathe and it had nothing to do with her run. He smiled the sweetest, most genuine smile, but it quickly fell as he saw the look on Beth's face.<p>

"What are you doing here, Daryl?" she asked angrily. "I thought you left? I got up this morning and you were gone… Not even a note! What the hell, Daryl?". Beth was frustrated – she didn't understand what was happening. She'd been upset for over an hour now, thinking she may never even see Daryl again. But here he was, sitting on the porch as if everything was fine, like this was completely normal.

Daryl stood up and walked towards her, but she quickly put up her hand to stop him, letting him know that his advance towards her wasn't welcome.

"Beth… Damn… I'm sorry. I just went to get us some breakfast" Daryl said, as he nodded back at the white bag and coffee cups, still sitting on the porch. "I… well…. I thought…" Daryl hesitated. "It's my turn, remember?" Daryl said finally, looking down at his shoes.

Beth realized what he was saying – he was using her words from yesterday. When she'd turned down his offer to pay for the pizza, she'd said it was her "turn". He was trying to be cute – like they had an inside joke. But she was too angry to think it was cute – too angry to see the sweetness in him going out and buying them breakfast.

"When I got back, I… I couldn't get in. I knew you were here… your car is here. But, I couldn't get you to come to the door. So… I figured I'd just wait…" Daryl said, seeming a little self-conscious all of a sudden.

"I went to your room this morning… Your… your stuff was gone! You were gone! It hardly looked like you'd even been there – and it surely didn't look like you planned on coming back!" Beth said. She realized in that instant that she was being silly. That she was way too emotional in this moment. But she had felt so hurt. And now that she realized she shouldn't have felt that way, she was still frustrated, although more with herself than Daryl. She was almost embarrassed – why had she jumped to the worst possible scenario? But didn't that seem like the reality in the moment, though?

Daryl started towards her again and this time she didn't stop him. He reached out and pulled her into a hug. All he muttered was "I'm sorry" and then, after a minute of standing there, he pulled away a little. He looked into her eyes and apologized again, adding "I didn't realize… Didn't think you'd think I'd just left".

She didn't want to cry, she knew she shouldn't. She knew it was stupid, and that Daryl would probably think it was stupid. But she just couldn't control it. Tears started down her face again, for the second time that morning, and Daryl reached up and wiped a few from her face before pulling her into him again. She cried because she'd been so upset, and because now, she was a bit relieved. Daryl hadn't left. Quite the opposite – he'd only gone out to get something for them for breakfast. Mostly, though, she cried because she was experiencing such a weird mix of emotions that she didn't know what else to do. It freaked her out, all of a sudden, that she'd let this man do this to her, after only knowing him for such a short amount of time. And here he was, comforting her, when he was the one that had been hurting so badly.

After she calmed down a bit Daryl pulled away again. This time, he took one of her hands in both of his and looked down at her. He seemed anxious now, almost like he was trying to avoid making eye contact for too long. His actions and apparent anxiety also put Beth on edge – what was he doing, she wondered? He finally looked her dead in the eyes, though, and quietly asked "Will you forgive me, Beth? Please".

Beth didn't know what to do, didn't know what to say. So, she just nodded her head affirmatively. And, after a moment of standing there, Daryl still holding her tiny hand in his two large ones, she started moving towards the house, pulling him along.

They started up the steps, and Daryl finally let go of Beth's hand, bending down and picking up the bag and coffees, as he followed Beth inside.

"You said something about breakfast?" she said shyly, giving him a small smile.

* * *

><p>The two sat back at the breakfast bar, in the same seats they had occupied last night, with a spread of pastries and baked goods in front of them. Daryl had gone to Signe's Bakery, which was one of Beth's favorite places on the island, and gotten a very large assortment of things – Beth didn't think they could eat it all in a week of breakfasts, but she was hoping Daryl might stay around long enough for her to find out. He had gotten carrot and blueberry muffins, lemon raspberry angel wing danishes, caramel pecan sticky buns, cinnamon crumb cake squares, and an entire key lime pound cake. Daryl told her that he didn't know what she'd like, so he just got a little of everything. He also apologized to her that everything he bought was sugary, but she told him how much she loved sweets, and that she loved all of it. He confided that Signe's was a favorite place of his, which he'd found because of Andrea. He told her that he too had quite a sweet tooth and that he'd always preferred sweets to nearly anything else. Beth had joked that the key lime pound cake was her absolute favorite and that if Daryl didn't watch it, she might have eaten it all by the end of the day. Daryl knew she wasn't really joking.<p>

Beth had warmed up the coffee Daryl had gotten, as it had gotten a bit cold while he sat out on the porch earlier waiting for her, and she also poured them both a large glass of orange juice.

Beth and Daryl fell back into casual conversation, the discomfort of the confrontation outside having dissipated quickly. Beth had been horrified initially when they'd come inside; she was so afraid that Daryl had seen her emotional breakdown as strange and awkward. But that didn't seem to be the case at all and Beth was glad to just forget about it all.

"So what are your plans today?" Beth asked Daryl casually. She didn't know what his plans were – if he'd planned to go and look for a job, or an apartment – but she didn't want to ask about those things specifically, didn't want to make him think that he wasn't welcome to stay there with her for a while longer.

"Well…" Daryl said, obviously thinking about Beth's question. "I need to get out there and talk to some folks about a job. I know a few people that I met working at my old job that I think I can count on… at least for something. So I guess I'll start with that."

"Yeah?" Beth said, as more of a response than a question.

"Yeah. And… well… I guess I need to look for a place to live" Daryl said, pretty matter-of-factly. He wasn't looking at Beth now, just moving a few pieces of food around his plate absently. She wasn't sure why he seemed distant in that moment, but to be honest, she had her own mix of emotions to deal with. While she'd known from the start that Daryl probably would only stay with her the one night, now, that didn't seem to be nearly enough time. What would happen when he found an apartment? Would they still be friends? Beth didn't like feeling uncertain about that.

"I guess" she started to respond. "Maybe…. Um… maybe do the job thing first? You can stay here for a while… you know… if you need to… or want to".

Daryl looked up at her then, a very serious expression on his face. "I can't, Beth. I… I've already inconvenienced you enough".

"Daryl, that's not true!" Beth found herself saying before she even realized it. Her face was starting to blush, she was sure, but she wanted him to know it was okay if he stayed – it was really okay.

They both just sat there in an awkward silence, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. Eventually, Beth stood and started busying herself with cleaning up the mess that they'd made. She wrapped up their numerous leftovers and it made her sadder than it should to think that Daryl probably wouldn't be there tomorrow to share them with her.

"What are you doing today?" Daryl asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

"Oh… um… Nothing much. I don't have to work. And… I didn't really make any plans…" she started to respond. "I… I didn't know what you were gonna do, so….".

Daryl was silent. He was still glued to his spot, looking down at the counter, now that his plate had been taken away. Beth couldn't figure out what he was thinking, or why things had gotten so awkward between them all of a sudden, all seemingly stemming from his mention of looking for an apartment.

Finally he responded. "I'm sorry, Beth. I guess I'm not hitting on much today".

"It's not that, Daryl…" Beth started to explain, but she was interrupted by Daryl coming up behind her, putting his hand lightly on her shoulder.

"You know I'd never just leave without telling you, right? I wouldn't do that, Beth. Not to you…" Daryl said quietly. "I promise". Daryl's tone was different than before, more thoughtful, and maybe a little emotional.

She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded, biting her bottom lip nervously. She wasn't entirely sure of what he meant, but she thought she got the general gist. She knew that Daryl was trying to further apologize for what had happened earlier, as well as smooth over the awkwardness of their discussion about him looking for an apartment. She felt stupid that it bothered her, but she didn't know how else to feel. As she looked up at Daryl, he still looked a bit uneasy about things, so she nodded again, giving him a small, but genuine smile.

"I… I need to go make some calls. Is… is it okay if I stay here to do that?" Daryl asked tentatively.

"Yes… Daryl, you can stay here as long as you want to. You do what you need to do". Beth tried to seem confident in her response to him – she hoped that if she seemed truly sincere and genuine, she would convince Daryl that he didn't have to leave.

"Thanks…" he responded and he turned around and walked back towards the bedroom he'd used the night before.

* * *

><p>Beth stayed in the kitchen a long time. She busied herself with housework, telling herself she needed to get some chores done – but she knew the truth – that she was trying to keep her mind off what was happening with Daryl. She cleaned out the refrigerator and evaluated the contents, wiped off the counters, cabinets, and other surfaces from top to bottom, then pulling out some cookbooks to look for recipes that she could make for dinner with the groceries she already had.<p>

Beth was lost in thought when she heard steps approaching. She looked up, seeing that the clock indicated that it was already around lunch time, and saw Daryl walking through the doorway, a huge smile on his face.

"Found a job!" he said excitedly and without her having a chance to ask him about the details, he started gushing about all the specifics.

"That's amazing, Daryl! When will you start?" Beth asked. She was genuinely happy for Daryl – things were starting to fall into place for him again, and after a short period of darkness, he was getting himself back on his feet again. For some reason, she thought about Andrea in that moment. She didn't know the woman, although she knew who she was – but she couldn't help but think that this was Daryl's first big victory over her, that he was able to stand on his own two feet and that he didn't need Andrea for help. That thought pleased her a lot.

"Tomorrow!" he answered. "Great, right?!"

"Yeah! Will you let me take you out for lunch to celebrate?" she asked. "It's my turn, remember?" Beth said, as she winked at Daryl playfully.

"Uh… Okay. Why not? Let me get my keys" Daryl said. He walked away, but was back by Beth's side just a few seconds later. And as he and Beth both headed for the door, Beth couldn't help but feel excited, joyful even.

That is, until Daryl asked her something that she really didn't want to hear. "Maybe afterward you could go with me to look at a few apartments? Now that I have a steady job lined up, I was thinking that I shouldn't have any trouble qualifying for one".

The look on Daryl's face broke Beth's heart; he was so excited about his new job, and now the possibilities of a new apartment. She couldn't tell him how it broke her heart that he seemed so anxious to get away from her – and she wouldn't take that joy from him. She needed to let go of it all; and if that meant letting go of Daryl, she'd do that, even if she didn't know how in the world she'd be able to handle it.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mr. Dixon?", asked a middle-aged brunette, approaching Daryl and Beth. The pair had just finished their lunch at the Frosty Frog, a local spot that served relatively simple but delicious food.

"Yes… Please just call me Daryl" he said, as he stood up to greet the lady, shaking the hand that she'd extended to him. As soon and he and Beth had gotten into his truck to drive to lunch Daryl had called Carol, an area real estate agent, to ask about the possibility of her helping him with his search for an apartment. Daryl knew that Carol was a good agent, one of the best in the area, because he'd learned it from Andrea. Andrea was always keeping tabs on the other agents in the area, trying to snake them out of the best properties and doing whatever she could to one-up them. And Carol was one that she was in constant competition with. He'd known that the odds she'd be free were slim; but after he explained everything to her, including his past relationship with Andrea and his necessity to make sure that he did not run into her again, Carol quickly agree to "shuffle her schedule" and meet with him.

Beth had been oddly quiet in the car and Daryl wasn't sure if it had to do with Carol, or his mentioning Andrea in his conversation with her, or something else entirely. He couldn't help but feel like he was fighting a losing battle with her already today, and it was only lunchtime.

"And… is this your girlfriend?" Carol inquired, looking towards Beth and then back at Daryl.

"Oh… no. Um… Just a friend" Daryl answered awkwardly. Daryl hadn't known what to say – and he hoped his "just a friend" comment hadn't hurt Beth's feelings. Why would it, though? They were just friends after all, right?

Beth stood up quickly, seeming to want to relieve whatever tension Daryl's awkwardness had just cause. "I'm Beth" she said and stuck out her hand to shake Carol's. Daryl realized immediately that he should have introduced her to Carol himself. Great, he thought, something else he'd done wrong today.

Carol looked somewhat knowingly at the two, back and forth, from one to the other. Daryl wasn't sure what she was thinking about them, but he guessed it didn't matter. Women always tried to read situations, he thought, and he was sure his fumbling words had clued Carol in to his uncertainty about Beth. Carol asked them both to sit down and suggested that they discuss the specifics of what Daryl was looking for as far as size, price points, and preferred locations.

Daryl explained to Carol that he was open, for the most part, but that he would prefer to stay on the island, as he didn't want to spend an hour or more everyday driving to and from his job, which would almost all take place on the island. Daryl noticed that Beth seemed especially pleased by this, nodding her head as he talked, as if agreeing with him, a small smile creeping onto her face. He hoped that she wanted him to be near her, as well as his job, and he couldn't help but think that if he hadn't met Beth the location may have been less of an issue for him. What was a little bit of a commute, anyway? He had to stop himself from thinking that way though and he knew it.

Carol explained that apartments on the island were more expensive than those in surrounding areas, like Bluffton and Beaufort, but that she thought she could find him something within the price range he'd mentioned. Daryl also mentioned that he was interested in the possibility of looking at furnished rentals, since he had no furniture of his own to speak of. He also told her that he didn't need much and wouldn't need much space, even a studio apartment would be fine. Lastly, Daryl indicated to Carol that it was very important to him that none of the properties he considered have any connection with Andrea's business – he couldn't put himself into the position of having any connection with her. He had come a long way in just a couple of days, but he didn't want to risk running into her and putting himself into a bad situation.

"Alright" Carol said, as they'd finally discussed all the necessary details they needed to. "Let me make a few calls quickly and hopefully we'll have a few places we can go ahead and see this afternoon".

"Great" Daryl said, as he looked over at Beth, smiling at her. She gave him a small smile back and simply nodded. As Carol stepped away, Daryl asked "Beth, are you okay?".

"Sure… um… why?" Beth answered somewhat tentatively.

Daryl couldn't help but continue to feel that something seemed a little off with Beth. Ever since they'd left her house to go out for lunch, she hadn't been the same. Sure, she'd been pleasant, and they'd talked comfortably through lunch. But she just didn't seem quite as happy as she had before. The spark in her eyes, which he'd been captivated by the night before, and even during breakfast that morning, had faded. Daryl wanted to know what was going on – he knew it was something, but he just couldn't imagine what.

"I don't know… It's nothing, I guess" he said quickly, avoiding making eye contact with Beth.

"No… Don't do that. Tell me… " she said.

Daryl took a deep breath, and then another. He wasn't sure what to say to Beth. Maybe he was just being paranoid. He was struggling to keep his feelings in check – and he had been doing that since the moment he met her, it seemed. He knew he had to focus though. He would find an apartment and start his new job – and he and Beth could settle into a normal routine of being friends. What would that look like, though? He didn't know – he had never really had a girl as just a friend before. But routine sounded good in that moment - he wouldn't be super needy anymore and she'd be free to get back to her normal life, whatever that looked like.

Still, though, he needed to know she was okay. He wasn't going to drag her along to see all these apartments if something was wrong, or if she just wasn't into going.

"You… you just seem kinda different is all" Daryl started to explain. "Like… not as happy. Almost like you're down about something".

Beth didn't respond. She looked at Daryl like a deer in headlights and then quickly looked down at her hands.

"Beth? Is there something the matter? You can tell me… you can talk to me" Daryl pleaded. He knew something had to be wrong. Why else wouldn't she have responded?

Beth continued to look at her hands. She had started picking at her fingernails and her cuticles and Daryl couldn't help but think she was doing it out of a nervous habit. "I'm alright, Daryl. Really." she finally responded.

"You're not, Beth" he said, leaning towards her a bit, hoping she'd look up at him, actually talk to him. "I haven't known you very long… but… I know something's the matter. I can't take not knowing".

"Why does it matter?" Beth asked very softly, shrugging her shoulders. At first, Daryl wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly – why in the world would she say something like that?

"It matters, Beth!" Daryl said emphatically. And he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, shaking her slightly, just enough that she'd look up and meet his gaze. "Your emotions have been like a roller coaster today… and I need you to tell me what's on your mind. Did I… do something… say something to make you upset?" Daryl asked. He didn't know what was going on with Beth, but he couldn't help but think that he had something to do with it.

Beth looked down again and he was afraid she'd never tell him. Something was definitely wrong – very wrong. But finally she looked up at him again and the look on her face almost broke Daryl's heart.

"I'm sorry… I… I don't know what's come over me. I just… I thought… you might want to stay at my house just… just for another day or two. It's so dumb." Beth said to him. He could tell she was trying hard to gage his reaction. She started to shake her head and then spoke again – "And I can't even believe I just said that to you out loud…".

"Beth… Listen to me…" Daryl said as he started to respond to her. He was going to be honest, even though he didn't want to be. He wasn't sure how she'd take it, even though he knew he was doing the right thing for her, even if she wouldn't recognize it at first. "We can still hang out, okay? Just… I… I need to get my life back on track again. I need to stand on my own two feet again, find a new normal but on my own. You've been… well, really great these last couple of days. Really. I don't deserve it. But I can't just keep relying on you to help me. I gotta do this."

He cut himself off. He was afraid of saying too much – he didn't want to cross the line and tell her that he was deathly afraid of getting himself wrapped up in someone else so quickly after his breakup with Andrea. He knew he'd made a lot of mistakes with Andrea – he jumped in too early and he got burned in the end. And he wouldn't let himself get lost in Beth. It was what they both needed, space and time. They were friends and he would do everything he could to protect that, even as he realized more and more that he wanted more from her. More than he could have, he thought. He wished he could tell her all these things, but he knew it'd make things awkward between them. And he couldn't risk that – he couldn't do that to her.

Just as he thought Beth was about to say something else, Carol walked back over quickly.

"I've gotten four apartments lined up for us already" she said with a smile, seemingly pleased with her quickness in getting appointments lined up for Daryl. "So we better get moving!" she continued and waved her hand to Daryl and Beth, indicating to them that they should follow her out of the restaurant.

Daryl stood up slowly, still processing the conversation he'd just been having with Beth. He looked over at her as she stood up next to him, and he couldn't escape the feeling that she still seemed deeply sad and that he'd caused it. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that everything would be okay. He wanted to tell her again, just like he had in her kitchen that morning, that he wasn't going to just disappear on her. He wanted to tell her that in the little bit of time that he'd known her she'd shown him more compassion than anyone had in his entire life. But he couldn't find the words. And all he could think to do was reach out and hug her. So he did.

"We're good, right?" he asked shyly, almost whispering into her ear. He somehow hoped by asking that he could just wish it into reality.

"Yeah…" was her only reply, but she squeezed him a little tighter and he hoped she really meant what she'd said.

* * *

><p>Beth was exhausted by the time she and Daryl made it back to her house early that evening. She yawned as she walked into the house, throwing her purse and her keys down on the nearest surface and heading straight to the living room to lie down on the couch. Beth had told Daryl that she needed to rest for a while – and although he was excited about his new apartment, eagerly thinking of preparations he needed to make for it, he'd generously agreed to give her some much-needed rest. Beth guessed that her late night the previous evening coupled with her over-emotional state today had caused her to feel so worn out. She hoped with a short nap she'd feel better and be ready to hang out with Daryl again tonight. As Beth closed her eyes she thought back to the events of the afternoon.<p>

_They had been to see the four apartments Carol had made appointments for initially, and then she'd taken them to see two more on a whim. Daryl had gotten lucky that she'd thought of those last two, because when they stepped into the very last one, he'd looked over at Beth and gave her a smile that let her know he'd found what he was looking for. _

_Before going in, Carol had told them to "keep an open mind", which had initially worried Beth. That seemed like code for something that might not have been quite up to her standards. The apartment was actually a furnished room over someone's garage. The garage was separated from the house, though, and would give Daryl complete privacy. It was very nice inside, having recently been remodeled and updated with all new furnishings, and included a small kitchen area, a decent-sized living room area, and a fairly large bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom. Daryl had commented on how much he loved the design, as well as all the furnishings, right away, but when Carol told him how low the price on the place was, he had seemed to be a bit skeptical. Beth guessed that he'd assumed that if the rent was so low something had to be wrong with the place. But, with Carol's encouragement, he agreed that it was the right place for him. She personally knew the owners and vouched for them, telling Daryl that they simply wanted someone to occupy the apartment and take care of it, the rent wasn't of that much concern to them. Daryl seemed to take Carol's endorsement to heart and, after a supportive nod and smile from Beth, he'd told Carol he wanted to fill out the paperwork for it. _

_Daryl had hoped that the apartment would be ready for immediate move-in, but Carol told him that the owners wouldn't be ready for him to move until Friday. Beth remembered the look on his face as he looked over at her, almost asking with his glance if he could stay with her until Friday. She'd nodded at him again and smiled, not needing to say anything to let him know that what she'd said this morning really was true – he could stay with her as long as he needed to. _

_And with Beth's unspoken support he filled out all the paperwork and paid the deposit. He agreed to meet Carol at her office on Friday during his lunch break to pick up the key so that he could take his things over to the apartment on Friday night after he got off work. _

_When he and Beth were suddenly alone again, in the car on the way back to Beth's, she couldn't help but feel a little better than she had earlier. Daryl's apartment was only a five-minute drive from her house; she wasn't sure why that mattered so much to her, but for some reason she liked the close proximity. And while Beth had somehow gotten attached the idea of Daryl staying with her for a longer period of time, she knew it was best for him to have his own place. Not only did he need it for himself, but she wouldn't have to risk the consequences of her uncle finding out that she'd moved a man into his house. She couldn't help but smile, though, as she thought that part of her wish had come true – Daryl would have to stay with her for a few more nights. She knew she shouldn't be so excited about that, now that he had a definite place to move, she shouldn't get too attached, at least to him being so near to her. _

_Daryl had eagerly chatted during the short-drive home. He seemed thrilled with the promise of the new place and Beth was genuinely happy that he'd found such a good option right away. Daryl had mentioned some things he'd need to get for the apartment – mainly a few items for the kitchen. He'd commented that he wasn't much of a cook, but he'd still need a few things to make do with. While the apartment had all the major things furnished, like furniture and large appliances, including a washer and dryer, Daryl would need things like pots and pans, plates, glasses, and silverware, as well as a few things for his bedroom and bathroom, particularly linens. Beth had instantly hoped that he'd ask for her help. Maybe she shouldn't jump to that, though, she thought. She still wasn't positive of how things would be once Daryl moved out in just a few short days. They would still see each other, she told herself. She'd make sure of it. _

Beth's last thoughts, before she drifted off into a much-needed nap, surrounded her incredibly emotional state that day. She had truly been on an emotional roller coaster all day, and she wasn't quite sure why. She hadn't gotten as much sleep as usual the night before, but that was often the case, especially during the school year, and she wasn't normally affected by it in that way. She could only guess that her emotions had a lot to do with her feelings about Daryl. Sure, they had just met and were just starting to be friends, but she felt so connected to him already. And that connection she felt made everything that was happening so much more impactful.

She felt confused. She knew she and Daryl could only be friends – and she was fine with that arrangement. It really was for the best, and she knew it. She knew she needed to slow her brain down, as well as her heart – she needed to get her emotions in check before she scared Daryl away. What man would want to be around someone that was so up and down all the time? She had too many thoughts, too many emotions that betrayed her common sense about the situation. She also knew that while their friendship had started because she'd perceived that he was needy and she could provide help, this was no longer really the case – Daryl had recovered amazingly well in the past few days and she could no longer see him as a broken and bruised man on the beach. She would need to learn how to see Daryl differently and she couldn't think of a better thing to focus on than a simple forging of a new friendship.


	8. Chapter 8

The next few days went by quickly for both Beth and Daryl. They fell into an easy routine together, though, which happened quite quickly and naturally. They were both grateful for that – and that the highly emotional haze from Sunday and Monday had dissipated for both of them. They were truly on a good road to beginning an amazing friendship.

Beth was scheduled to work Tuesday through Saturday that week and so, she headed out every morning a little before 7 a.m. and didn't usually arrive back at the house until 5:30 or 6 p.m. Daryl had started his new construction job on Tuesday and was very pleased. The man that had given him the job, Tyreese, who he'd met during his previous job working for Andrea, had been eager to put Daryl's experience and expertise to work. Daryl was surprised on Tuesday morning when she showed up to Tyreese's office, only to be told that he'd be working as a foreman of a crew working on a new development of luxury condominiums on the island. Daryl hadn't expected this type of job, or that type of responsibility, on Monday when Tyreese told him over the phone that he definitely had a job for him. But he was very grateful to the nice man who'd given him this chance – Daryl would enjoy using his knowledge to lead the work crew and he was grateful that he wouldn't have to worry about making enough money to survive, something that had often been difficult in his life back in Georgia. He hoped to himself that the days of struggling to make ends meet were over.

Daryl found that he ended up keeping a very similar schedule as Beth, although he wouldn't be working on Saturdays or Sundays, unless some type of emergency situation arose. They fell into a pattern of eating a quick breakfast together in the mornings, usually converging on the kitchen around 6:30 a.m. Beth was much more of a morning person than Daryl, and he was glad she agreed to make the coffee and get their food together. She'd also surprised him on Tuesday morning by packing him a lunch, along with her own, since he'd told her that construction crews generally eat lunch on site, just taking a short break to eat whatever they'd brought from home. And she'd continued making his lunch each day after that. In the evenings, they both arrived back at the house around the same time, both tired from a day outside in the hot South Carolina sun and eager to shower and rest for a while before dinner.

On Monday night, Daryl had snuck out while Beth was napping on the couch, to get them some dinner. He'd left a note this time though, fearing the worst if she woke up to find him gone again. On the way home, he'd stopped at a Redbox on a whim, and rented a movie that he thought Beth would like. It was a romantic comedy, the type of movie he normally tried to avoid at all costs, but Beth had obviously had a rough day emotionally and he wanted to make her happy, however he could. The next night, Beth had done the same, picking up take-out and a movie that she thought Daryl would like on her way home from work. And with that, they started an unspoken pattern of taking turns on alternating nights, picking up dinner and a movie for both of them.

Things had been good between them since all of the drama of Monday had faded away. They were getting to know each other more and more, telling each other over breakfast and dinner every day about their lives, their life experiences, and even their hopes – some of their conversations were good, and some were sad, but they were both letting each other in slowly, but surely. Daryl couldn't help but wonder what it was about Beth that made him want to bare his soul to her so openly. He'd never had anyone like in his life before, someone that he didn't feel self-conscious around and that he felt like he could be 100% honest with without consequence. He had admitted so many things to her that he'd never told anyone – things that he wasn't sure he'd ever trust anyone to tell. But, he'd been wrong about that.

On Wednesday night, he'd told her how he'd always dreamed of building a cabin, on the large plot of land he'd inherited when his father died. That plot had been mostly abandoned since then; Daryl had arranged for the fire department to burn down the tiny rundown house he'd been raised in. They'd been happy to do it as a training exercise – and Daryl was glad to see that place, where so many of his darkest memories were held, be burned down to the ground. He had hoped to take that land and turn it into something beautiful, somewhere where he could have a future. He'd saved and saved over time, all in the hopes that eventually he'd save enough for the materials for the cabin – he planned to do most of the work himself in his free time and on weekends. But every time he started to get close to his goal, something would happen with his brother Merle and the money would be needed for something else. And, since Merle was Daryl's only living family, he was always there for him, even though Merle was never really around to help Daryl.

And when Beth had asked Daryl about his other plans for the future, he couldn't deny her the truth. While he wasn't sure it would ever happen for him, he wanted what most people did – a family. His family had been so dysfunctional, but he felt like he'd overcome it. And more than anything, Daryl wanted to replace those terrible memories of his childhood with new ones with his own family – a family that he'd provide for and protect, that he'd love with all his heart and soul. He told Beth how his childhood hadn't given him much to be happy about – and so he hoped to give his children everything. If they wanted to play every sport there was, play every instrument, join every club, have every hobby, he'd said, he'd let them. And he'd always be there – for concerts, games, recitals, teacher conferences, and awards ceremonies. And he wanted to have family dinners and game nights, and send out those cheesy Christmas cards that had their family photo on them. He wanted to take his kids camping and teach them to hunt and fish and do things with their hands, like drive a nail.

And Beth listened to him and smiled. And that was all the response he needed. He knew he could trust her. She was genuine, and he knew she cared. And there was something about her – she didn't have to ask him a million questions for him to feel like he could strip away the protective walls that he'd built around himself over the years to prevent others from getting too far in, too close.

On Thursday night they'd stumbled onto the topic of relationships. Beth told Daryl all about her past relationships, which weren't that many. She'd dated Jimmy throughout high school, but when she moved to Hilton Head she knew it wasn't meant to be – the distance was too great and Jimmy didn't want to give her the independence she needed, wanting to talk to and text with her several times a day and know what she was doing at all times. Beth had lost her virginity to Jimmy when she was 17 and it had been hard to get over him, but she knew she was at another place in her life. She knew it was a dumb cliché, but she understood what people meant when they said they wanted to "find themselves" in college. She wanted that too. Beth had gone out with a lot of guys in the area during college. And Daryl wasn't surprised – she was absolutely beautiful and was the sweetest person he'd ever met. But Beth told him that relationships with those guys hadn't ever lasted long – they either wanted more from her physically than she was willing to give right away, or she quickly found that their personalities or future plans didn't seem compatible. Sure, she'd dated a couple of them for a few months, even calling them her boyfriends, but nothing ever seemed right in the long run. Beth confided in Daryl that she'd never understood her friends who "dated just to date"; she thought that dating was designed to be more serious – an attempt to find the person you were meant to marry.

And while Daryl had never really thought about it that way, he couldn't help but agree with her. Why get into a relationship with someone, invest yourself into them, if you didn't see a long-term future with them? Daryl couldn't help but think in that moment that he could have saved himself a lot of heartache in the past if he'd had that kind of insight. He had never been sold on the idea of marrying Andrea – he just couldn't see her fitting into the picture of his future that he had in his mind. She would want to continue her grand lifestyle, while Daryl would be content to have a more simplistic life. And she had been opposed to having children. Why would he have married someone like that? He couldn't imagine it now. Hindsight is 20/20, he supposed.

* * *

><p>Beth was excited for Friday night to come. She had insisted that Daryl let her take him out to dinner to celebrate the end of his first week at work and his move into his new apartment that day. A few of Beth's college friends had also planned to go out later that night in Bluffton and they'd made her promise that she'd come. She hadn't told them, but she planned to drag Daryl along. She wanted him to have a good time and she thought he'd get along well with her friends. She just hadn't told him of her plans quite yet.<p>

Daryl told Beth that he'd pick her up from her house around 7:30 p.m. - that would give them both plenty of time to rest a little after getting off work and get ready for dinner. After Beth napped for about 30 minutes after getting home and showering, she got up, still feeling a little tired, but wanting to give herself enough time to get ready. She drug herself into the kitchen, pulling a Red Bull out of the fridge and pouring it into a glass, adding some vodka. She knew this would help her get her energy up so that she could get ready for the night.

She had gone back and forth all day, in her mind, about what to wear tonight. She was taking Daryl to a nicer restaurant, even though he'd told her he'd be okay to just order a pizza, and she knew that with her plans to go out after dinner she should plan her wardrobe accordingly. She just wasn't quite sure what "look" she wanted – so she stood in front of her huge closet staring in and pulling out any and everything that caught her eye. She finally decided on some very short white lace shorts and a flowy three-quarter length sleeve mint green top. She reasoned that since she'd be showing a lot of her legs, covering up her arms would be a good balance – not to mention the fact that she almost always got cold at restaurants and in other public places, so the longer sleeves on the top would give her some coverage. She decided on some tall gold wedge sandals and a few gold accessories – she wanted to be cute, but not too overdone. Before she got dressed she did her hair and makeup. She kept her hair down and wavy – she knew that trying to fight the natural curl in her hair was no use, especially during that time of year when the humidity wreaked havoc everyone's hair. She decided to define her eyes well with liner and a bit of brown shadow and mascara, but leave the rest of her makeup fairly natural.

She got dressed just in time to hear her doorbell. She grabbed her clutch, throwing her phone and lip gloss inside, where her license, credit card, and a bit of cash already resided, and headed for the door. As she approached she heard the doorbell again and she was already apologizing to Daryl before she even got the door all the way open.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm moving as fast as…" Beth said as she swung open the door. But she stopped talking completely when she saw Daryl. She'd never seen him like this before and she could hardly breathe. He was standing in front of her in a pristine white button down shirt tucked into a pair of very dark jeans that were tailored perfectly for him. He was wearing brown suede oxfords and a nice looking belt that matched. His hair looked like it had been trimmed and was parted on the side and swept out of his face. In that moment, Beth lost all her words.

"Beth?" Daryl finally asked. She could tell he was a little self-conscious.

"Sorry… " Beth responded quickly. She was embarrassed. Daryl had caught her gawking at him and she wasn't even sure how long she'd been standing there doing it. "I… uh… did you get a haircut?".

"Yeah… We got done a little early this afternoon, so, after I went by Carol's office, I stopped and got it cut. It was about time." he responded shyly.

"I like it!" Beth said, maybe too enthusiastically. "You ready to go?" she asked quickly, trying to turn the attention from her awkward reaction and onto their plans.

Daryl just nodded, a big smile forming onto his face. As they walked towards Daryl's truck, he followed Beth to the passenger side, opening her door. The gesture wasn't lost on Beth, although she was a bit surprised – Daryl hadn't done that before and she wondered what had changed. She tried not to focus on it too long, though. She was sure he was just being sweet.

When he'd gone back around to the driver's side and climbed in, starting up the truck, he looked over, still smiling. "You look really nice, Beth. Really pretty." She couldn't tell if he was blushing. But she felt like maybe she was.

"Thanks" was all she could force herself to say.

* * *

><p>Daryl couldn't help but think that their dinner was going by quickly – too quickly, if he was being honest. When Beth had opened the door earlier, he thought he was hallucinating. He'd gotten accustomed to seeing Beth in t-shirts and her lifeguarding clothes, with her hair pulled into a messy bun and no make-up. And she was stunning just like that. But tonight – he wasn't even sure what to say or do – she looked like someone out of magazine, and all he could wonder was what in the world she was doing hanging out with someone like him. Those shorts, he thought, as they'd both gotten into his truck, were going to be the death of him. All he wanted to do was reach over and run his hand up her beautiful legs, feeling the smooth skin on her tanned legs. What was he thinking, though, he wondered? He knew he and Beth were just friends. "Friends. Friends." he told himself over and over. Hadn't they both been really clear with each other about that? And the last few days had proven easy enough along those lines – all those weird emotional conversations from earlier in the week had disappeared and Daryl was determined that they wouldn't go back to that awkward place again. So what had his mind swimming the way it was now?<p>

He pushed it way back into his mind. The waitress was currently asking them about whether they'd like to have dessert and he couldn't help but laugh as Beth was grinning over at him, dying to say yes, but wanting him to make the choice. He indicated to the waitress that they'd take a look at the dessert menu and he knew Beth was glad. They eventually agree to share something but Beth let Daryl choose – she kept telling him that the dinner was his celebration, after all, so he should get to make all the choices.

As they ate their dessert, he casually asked Beth about her other plans for the weekend. He didn't have anything in mind really, but they'd spent so much time together this last week, he wondered what the weekend would hold. Maybe Beth had a lot of plans already – maybe he wouldn't even see her? Maybe she was tired of him hanging around all the time and needed some time to herself? Didn't he need to spend some time in his new apartment, trying to make it into an actual home?

"Well…" Beth started. "I… I kind of have some other plans already for later on tonight". She looked up at him with an uncertain look on her face.

Daryl didn't know how to respond to that. Was she going out with someone? Why had she insisted that they go out for dinner if she had other plans? "Oh… um… yeah. I can take you home then so you can do what you need to" he responded. He realized he sounded pathetic, but didn't know how else to respond.

"Daryl… No! That's not what I meant" Beth said. "Some of my friends are going to go out in Bluffton… I told them I'd come… And… You're coming too!" she said confidently.

Daryl let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. Still, though, he was uneasy. "I don't know about that Beth. Maybe I should just…" Daryl started to explain, but he was quickly interrupted.

"Daryl! Please go with me? I think it'll be so much fun… and I know they'll all like you!" Beth said.

Daryl didn't know what to say. He still wasn't sure. But Beth kept pleading.

"You deserve to have a good time, Daryl. Please go with me… please! Please! Please!" Beth said.

"Okay. I'll go" Daryl finally agreed. He couldn't deny her this, he thought. She seemed so set on it and if it made her happy, he'd do it. He was still a bit uneasy about it, though. He hadn't been out in Hilton Head without Andrea. And he was a bit out of his comfort zone. Not to mention that Beth, and he assumed her friends, were a good bit younger than him. Would they be going to some college bar where he'd be the oldest guy there? He started to rethink it all, but looking at Beth's face, how happy she was that he'd actually agreed to her plan, he knew he couldn't go back on what he'd said.

"When are we supposed to go?" he asked, looking down at his watch. He realized then that he had no concept of what time it was.

"I told them we'd be there between 10 and 10:30" Beth responded. "Why? What time is it?" she asked.

"It's already 9:45. We better get a move on, then." he told her and they motioned for the waitress so they could pay the check. It made Daryl horribly uncomfortable letting Beth pay for their dinner, especially at the nice restaurant where they were. He knew their meal had to have been well over $100. But Beth swatted away his hand when he'd tried to take the check – she'd told him that it was okay to splurge every once in a while, especially when it was for a good reason.

They got back to the truck, and Daryl opened Beth's door for her again. He wasn't sure why he'd all of a sudden felt prompted to do this for her tonight, he never had before. Maybe his conversation with her about relationships the night before had made him realize she deserved the best. And they were just friends, but he had some high standards for what he thought she deserved, and he hoped she had the same ones for herself.

Daryl drove toward Bluffton and Beth talked almost the entire time. She apologized for not driving them, telling him that she didn't mean to force him into driving them all the way to Bluffton. He'd reassured her that he didn't mind – and that he was glad he'd be there to drive her home, make sure she was okay. He wasn't sure how much she planned to drink, but he felt good knowing she wouldn't have to drive herself, or rely on someone else to get her home safely. She also told him about some of the friends that they'd be meeting. Daryl just listened, mostly, and hoped that he hadn't gotten himself into something that would make him uncomfortable.

Once they arrived and headed inside, Daryl felt a little bit more at ease. He'd been to this place before – not often, but a couple of times. It wasn't a typical college bar, like he'd feared that they might be headed to, but instead, tended to have a pretty eclectic crowd of locals. It was starting to get more crowded and the place was already a sea of people, but it was still early enough that it wasn't quite wall-to-wall yet. Daryl was glad – hopefully they could find Beth's friends more easily and find a place to sit. He hated going out to places where he couldn't sit down – for some reason it made him feel uneasy and awkward.

They quickly spotted a few of Beth's friends at a table and they started to head over to them. Beth let Daryl lead the way – he was bigger and could make a better pathway through the crowd of people. As Daryl started to push through the crowd, he instinctively reached back to grab Beth's hand. She was so tiny, he thought, he wanted to make sure that she stayed with him and that she didn't get swept up in all the people. Subconsciously, too, he wanted to make sure no creepy guys tried to approach her or grab her – he knew how men's minds worked and a girl that looked like Beth, especially the way she was dressed tonight, would be the object of every man's desires. As he led her through the crowd, all of a sudden, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed him on the shoulder.

"Well, well…." he heard a woman's voice say. "Daryl Dixon himself".

As he spun around, still clutching tightly to Beth's hand, he couldn't believe who was standing there.

"Andrea?"


	9. Chapter 9

Daryl couldn't believe his eyes. There, right in front of him, stood Andrea, surrounded by quite a few of her girlfriends, many of whom Daryl knew, or at least had met on a few occasions. He cursed under his breath, wondering what in the world the odds were that he'd end up at the same place she was tonight.

He looked over at Beth, only to see that she was already looking up at him, wild-eyed and unsure what to say or do. She was grasping his hand still, though, and in that moment he realized she didn't plan to let go – and that was good, because neither did he.

"Hey sweetheart" Andrea said, a little too friendly for Daryl's liking, moving herself a little closer to Daryl. Too close, he thought. He stepped back, putting some distance between them, and pulled Beth's hand up towards his chest, nestling it there and hoping she understood that he wanted her to keep it there. She'd moved closer to him, now, and as he looked down at her, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear.

"I'm here, Daryl. I won't leave you. Unless…" Beth said, looking up shyly, a little uncertainty registering in her eyes all of a sudden. Daryl knew she was uneasy about the situation, probably just as uneasy as he was. He realized then that Beth might have assumed that he would want to talk to Andrea, or that he'd entertain getting back together with her. But he wanted to reassure Beth – let her know he had no intentions of even talking to Andrea, or entertaining her absurdity.

Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled Beth's hand up further, the one that had been resting on his chest after he'd placed it there. And he kissed it sweetly. He hoped Beth understood. She smiled up at him then, her eyes becoming more sure, and he thought that it seemed that she'd gotten his message.

Andrea was still standing in front of him, though, and she looked irritated, looking at Daryl, but occasionally stealing a glance at Beth. Daryl knew he needed to say something, anything, but he didn't know.

"Hi Andrea" he finally managed. "Doing alright?" he added. He didn't really care, but he couldn't think of much else to say – and he wanted to be polite, if for no other reason than to make Beth feel a little more comfortable with this already uncomfortable situation.

"Well, Daryl… I think you know the answer to that. I can't say that I am…" Andrea said. Daryl couldn't help but realize then that she didn't look quite as happy as she normally did. And that she wasn't quite as made up either – her makeup was very light and her hair was very natural looking, two things that she always spent a lot of time on. Daryl had always thought it was all too much – Andrea was a very attractive woman, she didn't need all that makeup or big hair to make herself look nice. The one time he'd mentioned it to her she'd tried to make a joke out of it, tell him that "the bigger the hair, the closer to God". He'd never mentioned it again – she obviously liked it.

"Baby… are these some of your friends?" Daryl heard Beth ask. When he looked down at her, she had this huge smile on her face and had wrapped her arms all the way around him now. She winked at him sweetly, and while to the outside world the wink just seemed like a cute show of affection, Daryl quickly realized what Beth was doing. She was trying to help, trying to give Daryl the upper hand in a situation where Daryl had seemingly always been treated as if he was inferior. "I'm Beth" she said, looking at Andrea, but then also at the other ladies standing nearby. She even stuck out her hand to Andrea, for good measure. Andrea shook it with uncertainty and what Daryl guessed was a little bit of frustration that registered on her face.

Daryl loved Beth in that moment – that she was willing to do this for him. The humor in the situation was that she was playing dumb, acting like she had no idea who Andrea was or what her relationship had been with Daryl, even though their breakup had been so recent. He knew Andrea well enough to know that one of the most important things to her was being known and people acknowledging her. And in that moment, he knew that Beth's act was probably the best thing to do to get under Andrea's skin.

One of her girlfriends, who Daryl had always thought was probably the bitchiest of them all, stepped forward, standing right beside Andrea. "She'd broken-hearted, Daryl! She said you just left her – didn't even explain! Just packed your stuff and left! What kind of thing is that to do to someone? Especially someone who has helped you as much as she has!" the woman said, getting angrier and louder as she spoke. "And… now you show up here… with her?" the woman said, looking at Beth with a glare of disdain.

"You're kidding, right?" Daryl said – the words had slipped out his mouth before he realized it. He didn't want to make a scene, not here, not anywhere really. Andrea wasn't worth his time – and she sure wasn't worth him losing his cool in front of Beth and her friends. He wouldn't do that to her. Daryl looked right at Andrea, stone-cold in the eyes, to make sure she was paying attention. "Maybe, you should tell your little friends here the truth, Andrea. Maybe you want to explain to them about Shane, huh?". Andrea's eyes grew wide – and Daryl knew that she was afraid that he was going to expose her, her lies and her terrible actions. He didn't intend to do that – but just wanted to say enough to make Andrea's friends ask questions. As obnoxious as most of them were, he knew they'd never leave her secret alone – they'd badger her until she caved in and told them the truth.

"So sorry we can't stay and talk more, but, we're meeting some friends!" Beth said. She was still playing dumb, acting very sweet and innocent, and looking at all the ladies with the sweetest, most genuine looking smile. "Y'all have fun!"

Daryl was still a bit shocked at how good Beth was at pretending – but he couldn't help but feel a little thrill by all this. There was something about holding Beth's hand, hearing her call him "baby", and feeling her snuggling up against him – even if it was all just pretending, he loved every single second.

"Come on, baby girl" Daryl said to Beth, starting to pull her through the crowd again, just like he had been before, except Daryl had pushed Beth in front of him now, and had wrapped his arms around her torso, guiding her through the sea of people. They moved towards her friends, who had all looked a bit confused about what had just been happening and then the close interactions between the two as they approached.

As they neared her friends, all Daryl could think about was what they'd just started. Would Andrea and her friends stay around the bar or would they leave? And if they left, was Beth going to be willing to play out this charade for the rest of the night , especially with her friends around? He got his answer when they got to the table, with Beth introducing him around to several of her friends – Carl, Tara, Sasha, and her boyfriend, Bob. Beth motioned for Daryl to take an empty seat at the table and as he did, she plopped down into his lap, her shoulder resting against his chest. He instinctly rested his hand on the outside of her thigh, as if to make sure that she was secure sitting there. Those legs, the thought, looking down at them now that she was so close to him – he thought they were going to be the death of him, that Beth was going to be the death of him. He knew from Beth's position, she could easily see Andrea and her friends, and he couldn't help but wonder if Beth had done that on purpose. She carefully placed her arms around Daryl's neck and leaned into his ear very closely, whispering to him.

"Play along, okay?" she said, and he could tell without seeing her face that she had a huge smile on her face.

Daryl nodded and then when she brought her face back into view, he couldn't help but smile. "It's gonna be a good night" he said. She smiled back at him, nodding, biting her bottom lip in a cute way that Daryl had noticed that she often did. And then without warning, Beth leaned in, bringing her lips straight to his. And in that moment, Daryl didn't give a damn who was watching, or that she was only doing this because of Andrea. No, all he cared about was the feeling of her lips moving against his, and then her tongue moving over his top lip and eventually how it felt against his own. And he couldn't help but give into his desires from earlier – and as he ran his hand around the skin on her legs, he couldn't help but think that they felt even better than he'd imagined they would when he'd admired them in his truck. And he hoped he could just sit here, caught up in this moment, for a long, long time.

* * *

><p>The rest of the evening passed too quickly for Beth's liking. She couldn't put her finger on why, but she liked pretending to be Daryl's girlfriend. She was afraid at first, when they'd encountered Andrea and she's just acted on the idea – she didn't know how Daryl would respond. At first, she hadn't been sure about how Daryl was feeling – did he see how Andrea had responded to him and consider getting back together with her? It sure seemed Andrea was interested in that.<p>

Beth had listened to Daryl talk about Andrea a lot and all the things he'd said had made her despise her. No, Beth didn't really know her, but the things that Daryl had said, things Andrea had said and done, Beth couldn't get over the feeling that Andrea was just not a very nice person. And how could anyone do or say some of those things to someone like Daryl? He was so kind, so great to be around – and he was drop dead gorgeous. Beth hadn't understood how anyone could cheat on Daryl – there couldn't possibly be anyone out there that was better than him. He was the total package, Beth thought.

Beth had loved the look on Andrea's face when she'd called Daryl "baby" – and when he'd called her that too. The woman looked like a deer caught in headlights. Beth also couldn't figure out, for the life of her, why Andrea and her friends didn't leave. Beth had tried not to, but she'd kept tabs on them most of the night, glancing over every once in a while to see if they were still there and if they were looking at her and Daryl. And they were – almost every time she looked, it seemed that they were glued to their same spot, all eyes on the young blonde and Daryl. And she couldn't help it, but, she wanted to give them something to talk about.

Beth was never the type to want to cause someone pain intentionally. She had been raised to respect others, and to help people through their hurt whenever she could. But this situation was different, she thought. Andrea had caused this bad situation and she deserved to feel a little bit of hurt. She couldn't help but think about how much pain Daryl had seemingly experienced because of Andrea. Didn't she deserve a taste of her own medicine? She knew it was wrong, but that thought made Beth smile.

And so, she'd kissed Daryl. A lot. And she'd drug him out onto the dance floor. At first he'd protested but he quickly agreed. So they'd spent a lot of the night together out there, dancing to all kinds of songs - slow songs and fast ones, it hadn't mattered much to them, as they'd been pressed up against each other, looking into the others' eyes, and of course, kissing.

She couldn't help but notice that, after a while, Daryl didn't seem to think about Andrea anymore. Or, at least, if he did, he didn't show it. And that made her smile too. She was helping Daryl forget, and letting him have a good time. Didn't he deserve that after all that he'd been through? She couldn't help but look at him and think that he seemed genuinely happy – and she couldn't think of anything else that mattered more to her in that moment.

Daryl seemed like he'd lost himself in the good time they were having – and Beth did too. She didn't know how long they'd been there, or what else was really going on around her. The only thing she knew was she was there with Daryl. And he made her feel so good, even she couldn't quite explain it. Yes, his touches had about driven her wild. When he'd run his hand up her thigh, after she'd sat down in his lap earlier, she thought she was in heaven. And when they were out on the dance floor a few times, he'd pulled the back of her shirt up, just enough that he could skim his calloused fingers over the skin on her lower back – and in those moments she knew that she was way more aroused than she should have been. But he also just made her feel wanted, appreciated, and admired. She knew Daryl was just pretending, but in those moments, she couldn't care less. She was going to enjoy this – and it thrilled her that he was doing the same.

Her friends had questioned her a few times, all when Daryl had left her side to go to the bathroom or go to the bar to get them some drinks. Tara and Sasha were especially interested to hear about Daryl – they wanted to know more about him and why they hadn't heard about him before. Beth didn't give much detail. She wasn't sure what to say, honestly. She felt like she couldn't tell them the truth, just in case. But she figured she could be vague for now, and explain things to them later. So all she said was that things with Daryl were new and that she'd spent practically all her free time with him over the last week – and she tried to silence their questions by telling them that she didn't know where things were going, but that she felt good about her and Daryl's relationship so far. And all that was true, she thought, just maybe not in the ways that her friends would think after observing her and Daryl together. But she'd worry about all of that later. She knew they'd understand.

Suddenly, someone said it was "last call" and Beth couldn't believe it was already so late. She had to be at work at 7 a.m. and she hadn't intended to stay out past 2 in the morning. It was worth it though, she thought, and while she dreaded the long day ahead that she'd have working, she knew she was off on Sunday – she figured she could rest then. Daryl had mentioned at dinner that he thought he might come down to the beach during the day on Saturday and Beth couldn't help but think how that would be a bright spot in her day.

"We probably should head on home, huh?" Daryl asked her, standing behind her, leaning forward and talking into her ear, while his arms draped protectively around her shoulders.

"Yeah" Beth responded hesitantly. "I don't want to… but I'm already gonna be dead on my feet tomorrow at work." Beth didn't want to go, she didn't want the night to be over – but she knew the reality she had to face. It stinks being an adult sometimes, she thought to herself.

Daryl nodded and grabbed her hand. They'd said goodbye to Beth's friends and started to head out to the parking lot towards Daryl's truck. As they neared the truck and Daryl started to open Beth's door for her, he quickly pulled her towards him, kissing her hard and long, for what was probably the thousandth time that night.

Beth was a little taken back by Daryl's actions – they were out of the bar now, away from Andrea and her friends and their prying eyes. After their lips had separated, somewhat hesitantly, Beth looked around and didn't see Andrea or her friends anywhere – in fact, she didn't really see anyone. Why was Daryl still keeping this act up?

"You don't have to pretend anymore, Daryl" she told him, playfully putting her hands onto his chest, pushing him away just slightly. She felt a little bit shy in that moment and diverted her eyes down towards the ground.

But Daryl reached down, putting his hand under her chin, and drawing her face back upwards so that she'd look at his face again. Daryl's eyes bore into hers and the look on his face was one that Beth knew she'd never forget.

"Who says I'm pretending?".


	10. Chapter 10

Beth was stunned. She almost felt like time was standing still as she stood in front of the passenger side door of Daryl's truck, his arms still wrapped around her waist, and his beautiful blue eyes looking down at her expectantly. She wasn't sure if he'd really said what she thought she heard, or if she'd somehow just imagined it.

"Maybe…" Daryl started to speak, but he was obviously a bit nervous and cut himself off. "Maybe… it'd be better to just stay up all night? You won't get much sleep now anyways, right?" He smirked at her, raising his eyebrows a little. He'd seemed to find quite a bit of confidence suddenly, Beth thought.

Was he asking her what she thought he was? No, certainly not, she thought. He wouldn't, right? He didn't think of her that way – and hadn't they just been playing a game all night anyway? Wasn't it just some big charade? She couldn't help but think that she should have been sure, but she wasn't. And now Daryl's suggestions meant that she couldn't be sure. She'd lost herself in everything that evening and now, under the dim lights of the bar parking lot, she realized Daryl had too. The look on his face was a bit mischievous and his eyes were filled with longing – and in that moment all she could think about was how much Daryl seemed to want her. Beth couldn't say that she didn't feel the exact same way. She had quite a bit to drink – but she wasn't even sure how much if she was honest. But she didn't feel drunk. She felt clearheaded and alive, like she knew exactly what she wanted.

Words escaped her – she couldn't think of anything cute or playful or sexy to say in response to Daryl. So she just kissed him again and when she pulled away finally, breathless, she simply nodded to him, resting their foreheads together; she smiled and he seemed to get the message.

She almost jumped into the car when he opened the door for her, and he seemed in a hurry too as he moved quickly to the driver's side of the truck. Daryl seemed intent on getting them home quickly, even though the drive usually took at least 30 minutes. For a few minutes, he seemed so focused that he was completely silent, keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead and seemingly paying little attention to Beth. Beth was glad that he wasn't speeding too badly, but she noticed that he was definitely driving faster than he had on their trip there. Eventually, she reached her hand over and put it tentatively on his thigh – his silence had made her afraid for a moment. Had she done something wrong? Did Daryl just need a little reassurance? Maybe he'd changed his mind? Maybe the gravity of the situation had caught up to him? Or maybe she was just reading the situation all wrong?

Beth wanted to let him know that everything was okay, at least from her end. She and Daryl had been touching each other a lot tonight, pretty much constantly, she thought, and she suddenly missed the contact between them. She realized that maybe she needed a little reassurance too. But as soon as Daryl felt Beth's touch, he looked over at her and smiled at her, maybe a bit nervously, indicating to her that nothing was wrong and that he really had just been focused on driving.

"Scoot over here" Daryl told her, nodding his head toward the window, indicating that he wanted her to come closer to him. Obviously he missed the contact between them too, she thought, a smile creeping onto her face as she thought about it. Beth realized she had never put her seatbelt on and so, it wasn't hard for her to immediately comply with Daryl's wishes, sliding over so that she was right next to him on the seat. She couldn't help but think that this was sweet, although she'd always thought it was incredibly cheesy when she'd seen others doing it. She never understood why people would ride in a truck like that, sitting so closely together, if they didn't have to. Or why two people would sit on the same side of a booth at a restaurant.

Until that moment in her life, though, Beth had never known what it was truly like to be with someone that you wanted to be touching all the time. Sure, she'd dated guys that she had physical relationships with, and she always enjoyed being around them. And she liked holding their hands in public, and sweet little displays of affection – but the real demonstrations were saved for private moments inside, away from the eyes of others. She had liked it that way. But now, with Daryl, everything seemed different. She didn't care if a million people saw them – and even though tonight she was supposed to be pretending, she now thought that maybe she really hadn't been and that she actually hadn't minded being that open with her physical relationship with Daryl. All those people that watched her at the bar didn't matter – all that mattered was her and Daryl. Everything else melted away into the background. And nothing compared to the need she had, at that moment, to be as close to Daryl as possible. And to not let go.

Daryl smiled contently at Beth's close proximity and he found her hand, still resting on his thigh, and squeezed it. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed it, just like he'd done back at the bar when they'd initially run into Andrea. Beth had thought it was all for show then, but now she was starting to realize that it hadn't been. At least she hoped not. He clutched her hand at his chest, right over his heart, again, just as he'd done earlier that night. For a few moments, Beth could feel his heart beating and she could tell that it was beating quickly. Good, she thought, she wasn't the only one who was experiencing that at the moment.

Eventually, he let their hands drop, although their fingers were still intertwined together, and they both fell more into Beth's lap now than into Daryl's again. And Beth felt content. She really didn't know what to expect when they arrived back at her house; she was nervous about it if she was honest with herself. But at that exact moment, she just enjoyed being in the truck with Daryl, him clutching her hand with a small smile still on his face. Everything was so quiet and she was glad that they didn't feel the need to fill the air with awkward conversation. There was an easiness to this situation, Beth thought, although there was also a tension that only grew as they got closer to her house on the island.

Her mind wondered as she looked out the passenger side window of Daryl's truck. Beth thought about the past week she'd spent with Daryl. Had it only been a week? She could hardly believe that – they had grown so close in such a short amount of time. She'd very quickly grown to care a lot about this man, and it was obviously that those feelings were mutual. But as she thought more, she couldn't help but question what exactly those feelings were. They'd both agreed to be just friends, right? Hadn't they both insisted on it, actually? But what was happening now? More than anything Beth didn't want to jeopardize what they had – she was certain that they were currently overstepping the self-imposed boundaries of their friendship. She just wasn't sure if she could find it in herself to care. She wanted to be near Daryl so very much – and he obviously felt the same.

A few minutes passed as Beth was lost in her thoughts, pondering the questions that swirled in her mind and absent-mindedly rubbing her thumb in circles over the top, and then palm, of Daryl's hand. Slowly, she came out of her thoughts as she felt the back of Daryl's hand, still holding onto her's, but rubbing up and down her thigh. His movements were slight at first, barely detectable really. But as the moments passed his touch became bolder and more intense. She felt her eyes get big at first, and eventually, as his touch changed, she closed her eyes, tilting her head over slightly to rest on Daryl's shoulder. His touch felt so good, she didn't want it to ever stop. She wondered how he was able to read her so easily – he was so big and strong, but he knew exactly how to touch her in the gentlest way, a way that made her feel weak in the knees, wanting to beg for more, wanting him to never stop.

When Daryl had first touched her legs earlier in the evening, she'd thought she might come unglued. She'd tried to keep it together, acting like it was no big thing – they were only pretending in their overt affection towards each other, right? Beth knew Daryl loved her legs. She'd noticed it the day they met, and every day since – he always stared at her legs, maybe just a little too long for would be normal between friends. She'd never minded, for some reason though – maybe because they were her favorite feature on herself, but maybe because she liked that he seemed attracted to her. She realized then that she'd subconsciously spent all week prancing around in the tiniest and tightest shorts she had, in an attempt to give Daryl as big of an eye-full of her legs as possible. And she really hadn't noticed that she was doing it until now. A smile crossed her face as she thought about Daryl finally touching her legs – the legs he'd been eying all week. She wondered if he was relieved being able to touch her finally.

Instinctively she let go of his hand, and Daryl looked over with a devilish grin, cupping the inside of her thigh and continuing to rub slowly and softly. She moved her hand to hold onto the inside of his bicep, right below where her head lay on his shoulder, nestling her chest into his arm. The feel of his calloused fingers on her tender skin was so heavenly and she couldn't stop herself from imaging what it would feel like if he kept moving upward, going just a little bit higher.

That thought left Beth conflicted. On one hand she wanted to clamp her knees together, or cross her legs, stopping Daryl's fingers from moving too high up her thigh, stopping things from going farther than they should among two people who had labeled themselves as friends. But the other part of her felt the opposite – wanted to spread her legs a little farther apart, giving Daryl all the access that he wanted, for whatever he wanted. Beth's shorts were so unbelievably short that she knew it wouldn't take much effort on Daryl's part to run his fingers underneath their hemline and feel the barely there panties she wore beneath them.

Beth knew she was excited, too excited probably, but she couldn't help it and she wasn't about to stop Daryl – one look at his smug face told her that he knew exactly what he was doing to her. And he was loving every minute, every touch, and appeared to have no plan of stopping. As Daryl looked over at her, that little smile still registering at the corners of his mouth, he slowly and gently tugged at the thigh he was holding, pulling it just a little farther towards him, moving Beth's legs further apart from one another. And in that moment, Beth's internal conflict ended – her decision had been made. Suddenly her heart raced and she had to fight to control her breathing.

And for Beth, she couldn't help but think that they couldn't get home fast enough.


	11. Chapter 11

Daryl pulled into Beth's driveway, driving a little faster than he knew he should have been, and brought the truck to a sudden stop. Beth was beside him in the truck, breathless and softly moaning eagerly, as he ran his right hand all over the inside of her left thigh. He'd been teasing her for at least half of the way home and it seemed that the closer they got to her house, the more anxious Beth became. And he'd been teasing himself too, if he was honest, not letting himself reach past that last barrier, the hemline of those tiny white shorts that he'd so desperately wanted to run his hand under. But he'd been driving and he knew that the few drinks he'd had tonight made driving enough of a risk, so he'd been "good", wanting to wait until they'd gotten to Beth's to take things further with her.

During the drive, Daryl's mind swirled around what was happening, and everything that he was feeling. He wasn't drunk, far from it actually, he thought. The drinks he'd had over the course of the evening had only served to slightly lower his inhibitions about Beth. He realized now that he'd been fooling himself all week – he wanted her and there was no denying it now. Yes, it would have been smart to just be friends, like they'd both agreed. He had really believed that he was being smart, by keeping Beth at a safe distance. He was recovering from his breakup with Andrea and he had been so hurt at first, so lost. At this time last week, wasn't he sitting out on the beach, just staring out blankly into the darkness of the ocean, mourning the loss of his relationship, feeling like the rug had been pulled out from under him once again?

But then Beth had come along. And she'd pulled him out of the darkness, quickly chiseling away at his hurt and his insecurities. She'd been there for him the way that no one else in his life ever had. And in less than a week's time, Beth had weaseled her way into a special place in his life, getting under his skin and into his heart. His heart, he asked himself? He wasn't sure how deep those types of feelings went, but he knew that his feelings for Beth went far beyond his physical attraction to her. And if he hadn't realized it before he realized it tonight.

When he'd seen Andrea that evening he'd been beyond surprised. But his surprise hadn't been for the obvious reasons. He didn't like seeing her, and it was an uncomfortable situation, that was for sure, especially when it became apparent that she'd lied to all her little bitch girlfriends about the circumstances surrounding their breakup. That had really pissed Daryl off – that she had been the one running around on him, but yet she'd blamed him for walking out on her and their relationship. He honestly wasn't surprised to see her there, Daryl thought in retrospect, since he'd actually been there with her a couple of times. It hadn't occurred to him on the way there that he might see her – but, hadn't he been so consumed with his evening out with Beth to think much about anything else? What he was surprised the most about, though, was that it didn't hurt him to see her. In fact, he'd actually felt relieved. Somehow in a week's time he'd grown, and he recognized now that he never wanted to be with someone like Andrea again. And while he'd really thought that he loved her, he almost felt like that was a lifetime ago. It seemed so distant in his mind, and he couldn't understand how it was only a week ago that they'd broken up.

Beth's attention towards him that night had been unbelievable – and while he thought at first that she was just trying to play mind games with Andrea on his behalf, he didn't care. But as the night wore on he'd forgotten all about Andrea, all about her girlfriends and their prying eyes, and all he could think about was the tiny blonde that was hanging onto him, dancing with him, touching him, and kissing him tenderly. He was happy, so genuinely happy, and he didn't want that feeling to end. Which is why, when they'd headed towards his truck at the end of the night, he'd tried to clue Beth in to how he was feeling, that he hadn't been pretending, not for a single second.

He couldn't help but think about the difference that Beth had made in his life – she'd been the one that had pried him off that beach and made him open up. She'd made him realize how wrong Andrea had been for him all along, even when he would have never realized it himself. She'd gone above and beyond what a normal friend would do for someone in his situation. And hadn't that been what she'd said she'd wanted, to just be friends? Her emotional outbursts on Monday had contradicted that, but as the week wore on he'd believed more and more that really what she wanted from him, a real friendship, and he'd convinced himself that it was for the best for both of them.

But they'd blown past that now, hadn't they? He wasn't sure now if there could be any going back to that – not after what had already happened tonight between them. And for the life of him, he wasn't sure he wanted to go back to that. Just forward, he thought, to explore things with Beth. She sure didn't seem to mind what was happening now either, that seemed clear.

As he put his truck in park he quickly opened his door and jumped out, moving hurriedly around the back to Beth's door. He wanted to get her out, wanted to get her into the house – his patience was running too thin for all this waiting. As soon as he opened her door, she was grabbing him, pulling him by the back of the neck towards her, kissing him wildly. She was still sitting on the seat of the truck, although she had moved to the edge and she wrapped her long beautiful legs around Daryl's waist. He could tell that she was craving contact from him and that was all he wanted too, to be as close to Beth as he could be. She quickly moved her lips away from his and then Daryl felt her kissing her way around his face, onto his neck, and finally up to his ear. A moment passed and then he heard her whisper his name.

"Daryl…." She said breathlessly. And he was lost.

He pulled her as close to him as he physically could, his head resting above her shoulder and his hands gripping her – one in the back of her head and one at the very bottom of her back, near her hip. He knew they should move out of the driveway, away from the truck where she was still anchored, but he didn't want to break this contact. He loved it too much. He was putty in her hands now, and all he wanted was to make her happy, to touch her and kiss her and make her feel as good as he possibly could. And he was planning on spending the next few hours doing just that.

"Tell me what you want, baby girl" he whispered, his lips brushing gently against her ear. He wanted her to tell him what she wanted – he wanted to hear her say it. And he would do whatever it was, anything, just to please her. He was so unbelievably aroused in that moment, feeling Beth against him, her kisses still on his neck and ear, but he wasn't worried about himself or his own pleasure. No, he wanted to please her, pleasure her, worship her body, that body that was so perfect to him that he couldn't imagine ever wanting to even look at another woman's body again.

"Touch me" she whispered. And Daryl's breath caught in his throat – he was hoping that's what she would say. He couldn't deny her of that, even if he'd wanted to. But he definitely didn't want to.

She pulled back a little, just enough to meet his eyes. Her teeth were gripping her bottom lip and Daryl couldn't help but think it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. He must have waited too long for Beth's liking, maybe because he was lost in thought or in total shock over what was happening, because Beth spoke again. This time, though, she was begging.

"Daryl… Please…" she said, her eyes pleading with him now, her eyebrows raised. And in that moment, his hands couldn't move fast enough. He moved his right hand, which had been holding her head against his, and brushed his fingers across her cheek and then his thumb across her bottom lip where she'd been biting.

"Tell me where, Beth…. Where do you want me to touch you?" Daryl asked. He already knew. But he wanted to Beth to say it.

He wasn't sure if the pink in her face was a blush or if it was a result of the heat of the situation. But he couldn't help but feel like Beth was a tad bit shy in that moment. She let her eyes drift down, avoiding Daryl's; but he quickly nudged her chin upwards, making her look at him again.

"Tell me, baby" he asked her again sweetly. He was pleading now – but not demanding.

"Like before…" she started to say. "Like on the way home. Except, more…farther". Beth said meekly.

Daryl didn't have to be asked twice. He slowly, torturously ran his hand from her knee all the way up the inside of her leg to the bottom hem of her shorts. And after a small affirmative nod from Beth, he ran his hand underneath her shorts, curving his fingers slightly to the left, to the spot that he was searching for. He was glad that Beth's shorts seemed to stretch a bit – they were so incredibly small and fitted to her body that he hadn't been sure his hand would even fit inside. When he felt her panties under his fingers, he thought he might lose it right there – she hadn't even touched him but he felt like he was 14 again, with very little control of his own body.

His fingers hardly moved at first and he was trying to catch his mind up with what his body was doing. And he needed to make sure this was really what Beth wanted – needed her to tell him.

"Here?" Daryl asked her, starting to move his thumb lightly over Beth's panties, right where her hair ended and her womanhood began. "You're so wet, baby. Your panties are soaked." He couldn't help it – he groaned a bit, feeling her wetness and thinking about his fingers being the cause.

Beth just nodded her head, encouraging Daryl on. She had a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth and her eyes were hooded with desire as she looked into Daryl's eyes, still biting a bit on her bottom lip. Daryl wanted to go slow. He didn't have any reason to rush – and he wanted Beth's pleasure to last. But she had other ideas. She was already starting to move her hips a little against his hand, working herself into an increasing frenzy. Daryl leaned forward a bit, putting his forehead against hers and trying to calm her a bit, slow her down. But she didn't want that.

"Touch me, Daryl. Really touch me." she said.

And it didn't take long for Daryl to slide his index finger under the edge of those wet panties and touch her skin. Beth gasped at the contact that she'd been so desperate for and she her head fell back involuntarily at the sensation that Daryl's fingers caused.

"Is that good, Beth? You like me touching you like this?" Daryl asked, almost in a whisper. He didn't need any more affirmation now, but for some reason, he felt the urge to talk to her like this. He'd never been much of a vocal lover, but in this moment he couldn't remain silent.

"Yeeees…" Beth responded. "Daryl… mmmmmmm."

All of a sudden he became self-conscious of their position. They were still outside, out in the driveway. And while the trees around the property, as well as their proximity to his truck, probably kept them out of the line of sight of anyone passing by or looking out the window of a neighboring house, he felt exposed. And as Beth's moaning increased, he knew he needed to get her inside. If she was already this vocal, he could only imagine that she'd be screaming his name later on. And he planned to make her do it – and he would love every last second of it.

"Let's go inside. You're gonna draw an audience with all that moaning, girl" Daryl said into Beth's ear.

"No… Daryl… Don't stop. Please… Don't let… go" Beth pleaded. It was obvious that any of her inhibitions about their location had long been abandoned as she focused on Daryl's fingers caressing her wetness.

"I won't stop. Come on…. You've gotta hold on, baby" Daryl said. Beth's legs were already around his waist, so he knew it would be easy to simply carry her inside. And so, he hoisted her up, momentarily placing both hands on her backside to make sure she was secure. She whimpered a bit at the loss of Daryl's contact with her, but he quickly slid his hand back around and under her shorts and panties again, returning the touches that she seemed to so desperately want and need. He used his hip to close the door of the truck and moved as quickly as he could up the front steps of the house towards the door.

"You got your key?" he asked Beth once they were at the door.

"Uh… Shit… "Beth replied. "It's in my purse… still in the truck". She was busy placing kisses all over Daryl's face, around his jaw line, on his nose, and on his forehead and didn't seem concerned about the key. "There's one under that pot right there" she said and pointed quickly towards it. "Just use that".

Daryl couldn't help but chuckle a little – he was trying to get them inside but Beth seemed too preoccupied by him to care one way or the other. Even the truck seemed too far away for her to go back to for the key. She obviously wasn't going to let Daryl put her down, or stop touching her for more a moment or two. She wanted him, just as bad as he wanted her.

* * *

><p>Beth helped Daryl unlock the door quickly and push it open, before she went back to kissing him. Somehow he had gotten them both from the truck, up the stairs on the porch, and into the house, all while he continued his careful ministrations between her legs. God, she thought, how can he make me feel this good with just the smallest amount of contact? He was driving her absolutely wild and she hoped he didn't plan to stop anytime soon. She wasn't exactly sure what he wanted, or what he had planned for the night, but the rock hard bulge in his pants told her how badly he wanted to be with her.<p>

Beth had been with a few guys – three to be exact. And she'd been in a committed relationship with each of them when they'd slept together. And it had been good. But she wasn't the most experienced – she had always been hesitant about sex, especially trying new things. But this, she thought, this with Daryl was something on another level from what she'd experienced before. She had been caught totally off guard by all of the events of the night. His touch on their ride home had nearly sent her over the edge, even before he'd moved his hand under her shorts. And when he'd finally touched her through her panties, and then felt his skin on her bareness, it felt like electricity was pulsing from his fingers into her body and she couldn't get enough. She knew that she and Daryl were supposed to just be friends – but she was letting that go for tonight and letting herself be free to do and feel and explore.

Daryl carried her through the house and all the way upstairs to her bedroom. She wasn't sure why he'd chosen her room, when the guest room where he'd stayed the last few nights was so much closer. It didn't matter, though, she thought, as she lost herself in the magnetic feeling she got from looking into his eyes – it was like he had some incredible power over her, drawing her into him as they stared deeply at one another.

He placed her down onto her bed and then lay down beside her, pushing his hand back upwards, back to that place that had gotten her so heated in the driveway just a few moments before. He seemed a little freer now, his inhibitions lowered even further, and as he explored her with his fingertips, he kissed Beth like she'd never been kissed before. It was deep and wanting, passionate and wild, but also, somehow, loving and familiar. She loved kissing him like this, lying with him as he worked her body into a higher and higher level of excitement.

She could feel Daryl's own excitement growing and instinctively, reached down to run her hand over the incredibly hard bulge in his jeans. He moaned loudly against her mouth, but before she knew it, he was moving her hand away.

"I just wanna take care of you for a little while, okay?" Daryl explained, in between placing smaller kisses on her lips.

Beth just nodded. She didn't know why Daryl wouldn't want her to touch him then. She'd never been with someone that was a generous lover before and it seemed odd to her for a man to not be seeking out his own pleasure. Wasn't that what men did, she thought? Wasn't something hardwired into them to seek that out in these situations?

"You don't want to?" Beth asked, and she realized that her confusion in Daryl's actions was reflected in her voice.

"I do, baby… I do. Just… It ain't about me right now. I want it to be about you." Daryl responded back. He had separated himself a little bit from her in that moment and it made her feel very uncertain, all of a sudden. He was kneeling on the bed to her side, now, and she wasn't sure what was happening.

"Let's get these off…" Daryl said, looking down at her and reaching for the waistband of her shorts.

She knew this would happen, eventually at least. But in that moment, Daryl's statement made her breath catch. She was nervous and almost felt afraid. Was this really happening? Was she really doing this with Daryl?

She tried to push those fears and anxious feelings away – and after a few moments, she simply just nodded. And that seemed to be all the affirmation that Daryl needed. As he guided them off, he sat back again and just looked at Beth. It made her incredibly self-conscious – she was still wearing her top, but now only wore a tiny pair of nude thong panties that she imagined were visibly wet from her excitement.

But Daryl smiled at her, making her a little less apprehensive. At least for a moment.

"God, baby girl… Your panties are totally soaked. You're so sexy, baby" Daryl said, continuing to smile down on her and once again returning his hand to rub over the soaking wet fabric. And all of a sudden, he was pulling those down and off too, leaving Beth completely bare and feeling very exposed.

Instead of laying down next to her again, Daryl placed himself perpendicular to her, lying on his stomach. He was rubbing her lower legs now, seemingly enjoying the soft skin there, before moving upwards to her knees. He rubbed and kissed her knees, spending a few extra moments rubbing the folds on the back sides – he had rubbed his fingers across one of them back at the bar earlier and found that it was a sweet spot for Beth. He continued upward, rubbing gently and kissing, taking his time, seemingly wanting to caress and kiss every inch of her legs.

As he reached her upper thighs, Beth had an uneasy realization. Was he planning to...? Oh God, she thought. He can't, she thought – I've never done that.

"Daryl…?" she finally started to ask, with a bit of shakiness in her voice. He had just started rubbing his fingers along her wetness again and she was uncomfortable with the proximity of his face to her now – his face was too close, his eyes, his mouth, all of it.

"What is it, baby girl?" he asked. His voice was unconcerned and familiar, Beth thought. Maybe too familiar for her, all of a sudden.

"What… uh… What are you doing?" she asked timidly. She was afraid she already knew the answer. She was tensing up. She was on edge. His touch was no longer causing the same response as before because her mind was moving too quickly for her to pay much attention to what was happening to her body.

Daryl looked up at her, then, and moved himself closer to her, getting up on his knees and shifting his weight so that he could kiss her lips. And just as Beth felt like she might be able to relax again, just a little, she felt his breath on her ear as he whispered to her.

"You're so beautiful…. I can't wait to taste you, baby. I'm gonna make you scream".

Beth's eyes shot open as her heart leaped and her stomach lurched. But she remained silent. It would be okay, she thought. She wanted Daryl, didn't she? In that moment, the haze she'd been in seemed to wear off and those sex-crazed desires seemed to be replaced with one thing, shear terror.

Daryl was moving back down her body again, back to his previous location. His fingers were on her again and his kisses were getting closer and closer, edging up her thighs slowly but with a purpose that Beth now realized. Beth was trying to control her breathing. But she couldn't. She couldn't do this and she knew it.

Just as Daryl's tongue was about to touch her, she shot up straight. Daryl lifted his head up, looking up at her in concern and confusion.

"I can't, Daryl. I mean… I… I've never… No one's ever…." Beth tried to explain. But she was stumbling over her words and she was embarrassed. She was overwhelmed by the biggest mix of emotions she could ever remember and she didn't know how to handle them all at once.

"It's okay… I'll… I'll talk you through it, Beth. It's okay" Daryl started to say. He seemed a little more sober, all of a sudden, than he had just a moment ago. Maybe the reality of this situation was crashing down on him too, Beth thought. But he hadn't seemed to change his mind, not about any of it.

Beth couldn't take this. This had gone way too far. She had gotten caught up in the moment. And now Daryl was sitting here with her, wanting to take this to a place that she'd never been. And he was even being sweet about her admission, telling her it was okay and that he'd guide her. But she just couldn't. She wasn't ready for that – with him or with anyone right now.

"Daryl… I… I can't. I mean… Isn't that… like… so intimate?" Beth said shakily. She felt like that type of thing was really serious, something you only shared with someone that you were very serious about, very intimate with.

"Shit." Daryl responded. "I wasn't trying to push you". He seemed defensive and that wasn't at all Beth's intent. She just didn't want to start something that she knew she wasn't comfortable with. But now Daryl looked hurt and very frustrated and she didn't know where to go from here. Wasn't this always the danger in taking something too far with someone you were supposedly just friends with? How in the world do you just go back? "I thought you wanted to, Beth… Wanted to be together… tonight" Daryl spoke again. He seemed to need some kind of clarification, but Beth didn't have a lot of answers.

"Daryl, I did" Beth said, trying to console him. Daryl was sitting on the end of the bed now, with his back to Beth, elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging down. She placed a tentative hand on his back, trying to reassure him, only for him to shrug it off.

"You did?" Daryl asked. "So, you wanted to have sex with me, but you didn't want me to lick you? Is that what's you're saying? The sex would have been okay, but not the oral kind?" Daryl continued and he seemed to get more and more irritated with each question he asked. He stood up, turned around and looked at her then, his brow was furrowed and his eyes looked hurt, and maybe a little angry.

"I can't explain it… I… I just haven't ever…." Beth tried to explain. But Daryl just looked more frustrated. "I'm sorry, Daryl… This shouldn't have happened. It was a mistake."

A moment of silence passed between the two of them. It was incredibly uncomfortable and Beth realized that maybe she shouldn't have used the word "mistake". When it had slipped from her lips she'd seen the pain flashing in Daryl's eyes. It was too late though, as Daryl's face grew angry and he turned towards the door.

"Clearly" Daryl said and before she could say or do anything else, he was walking away. Beth struggled to throw her shorts back on, incredibly self-conscious of the lower part of her body that was still completely naked and exposed. She finally got them on, running out of her room, trying to catch up to Daryl.

When she got to the stairs, she heard the front door slam. She tried to move as quickly as she could without falling and she finally made it out the front door. She'd expected to see Daryl's tail lights as he quickly drove away, but he was walking back towards her now, her purse in his hands and an incredibly angry look on his face.

"Daryl… Please don't… Just… Let's talk about this" she said frantically. But she knew there was no use. He was too mad. She had hurt him and she couldn't take it back.

He walked right up to her and shoved her purse into her hands. He didn't say anything and Beth was at a loss for words then too. And he stalked away from her quickly, slamming the door to his truck loudly, and pulling quickly out of her driveway.

Beth stood in the driveway for a long time, glued to that same spot, clutching her purse, tears streaming slowly down her face.


	12. Chapter 12

Daryl sped off into the darkness. But he only made it a short ways before he pulled over to the side of the road. He sat there for a long time, forehead pressed down onto the steering wheel, struggling to understand the events that had just transpired with Beth. He felt like the weight of the world had come crashing down on him. And he had no idea how to feel – almost every emotion imaginable was converging on him in that moment.

More than anything Daryl felt hurt and a devastating sense of loss. He'd known something like this would happen eventually, he'd reminded himself. Every good thing he ever had in his life hadn't lasted very long. He'd reminded himself of that on Wednesday night after he and Beth had stayed up late talking. He'd gone to bed with this overwhelming sense of happiness and peace. But in the darkness of the night, as he'd laid quietly in his bed thinking about Beth, his demons from the past crept in – reminding him that he'd never had anyone truly good in his life for too long – they'd either realized how broken and flawed he was, or he'd done something to push them away. He'd tried to convince himself that this was different, that Beth knew how broken he was, but that it didn't matter to her, and that she wanted to be the one to help him knit himself back together piece by piece.

But Beth had hurt him. And while he knew he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up about things with her, he couldn't help himself. Something had been different with her – he couldn't quite put his finger on it or explain it, but it was just a feeling he got about it, about her. He couldn't have been more wrong though, and he was realizing that now, although that realization hit him like a Mack truck. He had fooled himself into thinking she actually cared about him and her words echoed in his mind over and over again.

_'This shouldn't have happened. It was a mistake.' _

Daryl knew that the events of the night had come a bit out of left field. At least for Beth. For him, it had seemed that way at first, but he'd realized over the course of the night that he'd had those types of feelings for her since the moment that they met – and he'd just been repressing them, trying to make responsible decisions, trying not to jump straight back into a relationship after being hurt by Andrea. But once it was all happening, once Beth was in his arms, sharing intimate kisses and touches with him, he couldn't stop himself. And he hadn't wanted to, and still didn't regret it. And that's why Beth's words haunted him so badly – she'd thought it was a mistake, but he didn't, he couldn't. It was too right to him to be a mistake. It wasn't just some random hookup to him – it really meant something. For Daryl, the intimacy between them had been an expression of how he was feeling, his emotions about Beth and his desires to get closer to her, to get to know her in every possible way.

Beth obviously hadn't felt that way, though. Her statements had made that particularly evident – it seemed that she'd just gotten swept up with how good the physical part of the situation felt and once her brain caught up, she realized her heart and her body weren't on the same page. Daryl would never ask her to do something she wasn't comfortable with, but he almost felt tricked. He'd really thought they had something, something deeper – but it was too good to be true. And now, he knew, there was no going back to what they'd had before. It was too awkward of a situation and he'd have to face the reality that Beth probably wouldn't be in his life anymore. He was sure she wouldn't want to face him – and he wasn't sure how he could face her either, knowing that he'd put himself out there for her, only to be rejected. She didn't see him the way he saw her – she just saw him as a mistake.

_'It was a mistake'. _

Daryl wished the memory of those words didn't cause him so much pain. And he wished that he could just forget them, instead of them playing continually like a broken record through his mind.

And that desire to forget was what led him to Walmart, before he'd really even realized it. It was one of the few places on the island that never closed and even though Daryl hadn't made the conscious decision to go there, he found himself there anyway, in the beer and wine aisle, subconsciously being driven to find something that would help him forget, something that would numb the pain, especially the hurt that was currently radiating in his heart. He realized that the pain he was feeling was actually physical, that there was a strong ache in his chest that was so deep that he didn't know how or when it would go away. And he felt so incredibly stupid for feeling that way, for having all of these intense, yet unrequited feelings for Beth, especially since he knew he'd really only known her for a week. How could he have misread the situation so badly? How had he allowed his emotions to get so out of control, especially with someone that obviously didn't feel the same way about him? How could he have mistaken her good deeds towards his as something other than her simple drive to help others? And how in the world had he fooled himself into thinking that her actions that evening had anything to do with her feelings towards him, instead of her simply wanting to help him make Andrea jealous and then getting swept up in how good it all felt?

He had known better, hadn't he? Known from the moment that they met that she was too good for someone like him. Beth was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, both inside and out, and he'd known deep down that his feelings for her would probably go unanswered. Why would she want to be with someone like him – someone that had a broken past, who never went to college or fully applied himself to much in life, someone who had problems trusting others because he'd been let down by every single person he'd ever loved or relied on.

By the time he'd gotten back to his apartment, which was only about a 5 minute drive, he'd already downed two beers from the two cases he'd bought at the store. He wasn't really sure why he'd bought what he had, but he'd just grabbed whatever he could carry and taken it to the register. And he knew he shouldn't drink while driving, but in that moment, that wasn't his concern. He was hurting and he wanted to numb the pain, through whatever means necessary.

Daryl lugged the cases of beer up the stairs to his garage apartment, his new home. He had only spent a short amount of time there so far, since he'd only been able to move in the previous afternoon. Late Friday afternoon, he'd moved in his few belongings after he'd gotten home from picking up the key from Carol and getting his hair cut. He'd only had a little bit of time to get ready before he had to pick Beth up for dinner, so he hadn't unpacked much, knowing he'd have plenty of time over the weekend to get settled. As he continued drinking, downing beer after beer, he looked around his new home. He'd loved this place when he and Beth had first seen it that Monday – it was small and simple, and he'd felt like it really suited him. But now, looking around, he didn't feel that way anymore. Instead, all he could think about was how he'd picked this place out with Beth. And how she'd excitedly planned to go with him on Sunday to buy the things he still needed for the place. She'd made a list over the last few days, continually adding to it as she thought of things he would need. He'd told her that he didn't need some of those things – they weren't things he'd ever had, or really thought of, for that matter – but she'd insisted on putting them on the list and she was so cute about it all that he just couldn't tell her no. He'd loved how excited she'd been about helping him get what he needed for his new place and he realized now that it had made him feel closer to her, knowing that she wanted to be part of all these little parts of his life.

Daryl knew now what people meant when they said they felt "at home" somewhere, and with someone. He'd felt that with Beth over the last few days and it had very little to do with her comfortable house and much more to do with Beth herself. And now he was here, in this strangely cold apartment, and he couldn't feel more alone. He missed her already and again, felt stupid because of that. He had planned to go to the beach today and carry them a picnic lunch to share together on her break – he wouldn't have been able to hang out with her the whole day, but he'd at least have been able to be near her and that was enough. He knew he needed to get passed these feelings about her, though in that moment he didn't know how and so, he was content to wallow in his feelings and think about Beth, all the good times they'd had and how much he cared for her, even if it had only been for just a brief time.

As he continued to drink, sinking down onto the couch of his apartment, he couldn't help but think back to the way Beth had looked the night before as they'd hurried home in his truck. He thought about how she'd writhed around under his touch and the look in her eyes as she'd silently pleaded with him for more. And then he thought about her words – the ones that had made him feel weak in the knees.

_'Touch me, Daryl. Really touch me'. _

He closed his eyes, lying down on his couch now, and savored those thoughts – the memories of her words, and of her half naked body lying before him on her bed – and he wanted to hang onto those memories as tightly as possible because he knew, as painful as it was to admit to himself, he'd never experience that with her again.

* * *

><p>Beth stood in the driveway for a long time. She had no sense of time in those moments and the only reason that she went back inside the house was because she saw the sky starting to lighten, signaling to her that the sun would soon come up and that she needed to get ready for work. She didn't want to go – she wanted to hide away at home, letting herself be emotional about what had just happened with Daryl – but she knew she couldn't flake out on work and she figured that she could make it through one shift. Zach had always been very lenient with her, giving her more flexibility and grace than anyone probably deserved; and she didn't want to ruin that by calling out of work last minute or even worse by just simply not showing up. After today, she'd be off until Tuesday, which would give her a couple of days to get things straightened out in her mind and figure out what to do about Daryl.<p>

Beth told herself that she needed to push all of the thoughts about Daryl, and about that night, out of her mind. At least for the moment she needed to focus – she had to get to work. And she had to keep her mind on her job, she told herself, because if she lost her focus, even for a moment, lives could be at stake. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to someone and she was lost in her thoughts and wasn't there to help.

She walked back upstairs and into her room. She knew she needed to shower and hopefully the steam would help her clear her mind. She stood looking at her bed, though, at the place where she had been with Daryl not that long ago. She couldn't help but wish that things had gone differently. She didn't regret being honest with Daryl – she hadn't been comfortable with the situation and she knew she would hate herself if she let things go in the direction that Daryl was taking them. But it wasn't because she didn't care about Daryl – no, it was quite the opposite, she thought.

Beth had spent the last few days trying to shake the feelings for Daryl that were growing inside her. She knew they were irrational – they had only just met – but she couldn't shake them, not really. She'd tried though, tried to just push them down, not think about them. She knew he didn't feel the same way – he'd been very clear about that. And she could hear his words from Monday repeated over and over in her mind.

_'I need to find a new normal but on my own'. _

Daryl wanted to be alone, she'd thought many times, and he'd been very clear about that. And why wouldn't he want that? He'd been hurt, time after time, ever since he was a child, and he'd learned that he couldn't get close to others because they'd eventually always let him down. Beth had learned that about Daryl quickly, and while she felt that they had grown very close, she also sensed that Daryl had put an emotional wall up between them. And while Beth had often thought that their relationship could eventually evolve from friendship into something more significant, she thought that Daryl would never let her get close enough for that.

But that was before what had happened with them that previous night. In those moments she had almost felt like it had been a dream. Throughout the week she couldn't help but feel close to Daryl – they'd spent almost every waking moment together except for the time that they were at work, and even though she wasn't supposed to have her cell phone during work, she'd sneak it out every once in a while to text with him. She'd liked that closeness that they'd shared, but also felt that the emotions blooming inside her were mostly one-sided and so, she was quite shocked to hear Daryl's words to her as they left the bar that night before.

_'Who says I'm pretending?'_

She'd felt like a school girl, giddy and excited, finally thinking that maybe she didn't have to suppress all those feelings after all, that maybe Daryl returned some of the same affections for her that she had for him. He'd touched her so seductively, and even started calling her "baby", and it had made her heart race and her body yearn to be closer to him. She wanted that intimacy and she wanted it with Daryl.

But it had all happened too fast and when her mind caught up with the situation, she panicked. She had felt as if she was having some sort of anxiety attack, unable to control her breathing or the fear racing through her mind. She wanted to be with Daryl – but she wanted to do it the right way. If they were going to have a relationship, she wanted to approach it cautiously but appropriately – she wanted to protect her own heart, but she also wanted to protect Daryl's. And something about what he'd intended, especially his words, had triggered something in her, telling her that things had gotten way ahead of where they should have been.

_'I can't wait to taste you, baby'. _

She shuddered thinking about that. And strangely, now that Daryl was gone, it turned her on. A lot. And a war waged in her mind. Had she done the right thing after all? Should she have just gone through with it even when she felt anxious and unprepared in the moment? Did he feel like she had led him on, only to turn around and reject him at the eleventh hour? Would this ruin their relationship forever? Could she even try to face him again?

She wasn't sure about any of it. And as she finally stepped into the shower and started to wash herself off slowly, she couldn't help but think about Daryl's hands on her and hope to God that that wouldn't be the last time she felt them. She would do everything in her power to make sure that it wasn't – the only question was whether it would be enough.


	13. Chapter 13

Daryl spent the weekend in this apartment, drinking. He alternated between sleeping, which was generally fitful and restless, and watching television, although that basically consisted of his numbly staring at the television, paying little attention to the actual content on the screen. He didn't leave until Monday morning when he had sobered himself up enough to go to work – he knew he had to, knew he needed this job too much to mess it up. It was the only thing good he had in his life now, and he was going to do everything he could to keep it. He hadn't eaten anything all weekend, not since his dinner with Beth on Friday night. It wasn't that he didn't feel hungry – but he had no appetite and found it easy to ignore the physical hunger pains he experienced – they were much easier to ignore than the pain that was still radiating from Daryl's chest.

Daryl hadn't showered all weekend either, or even changed his clothes. He'd just sat around in the same white button down shirt and jeans that he'd worn out with Beth on Friday. It didn't really occur to him to change or shower, or do much else, for that matter – his mind was so preoccupied with what had happened with Beth that everything else just fell by the wayside. He was almost in a trance, so totally focused on his thoughts that everything outside of those walls didn't seem to exist.

But by Monday morning, he'd tried to snap himself out of it. This was ridiculous, he told himself, after sobering up and realizing that he'd been wallowing around all weekend, doing absolutely nothing but thinking about Beth. This was not his first disappointment in life – far from it, in fact, as almost everything in his life had ended in disappointment. He knew he'd gotten over those things before, and he'd get over this. He'd just have to force himself to stop thinking about her, about Beth, and to distract himself with other things. And he agreed, as he thought to himself, that's exactly what he would spend his week doing.

He showered and got himself ready for work. He cursed the fact that he had no food in his apartment, and definitely no coffee maker – but promised himself that he'd take care of that, and the list of other things he needed for his place, this evening when he got off of work. He was able to leave early enough, though, to stop and drive through McDonald's to get some coffee and a biscuit. He'd momentarily considered going to Signe's, which wasn't all that far from his job site, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Although it had been his favorite breakfast spot since he'd moved to the island months ago, now, all he could think about when he thought of the place was Beth – how he'd gone there to get them breakfast last Monday morning, resulting in Beth's emotional breakdown over her fears that he had left her without saying goodbye. And after he'd shown back up, and everything was alright between them again, he smiled thinking about the sheer volume of food that he'd bought for them – giving them enough breakfast to last for at least three days.

When Daryl realized he was smiling, thinking about Beth again, he cursed at himself under his breath. He'd promised himself that he was going to push her out of his mind. He knew that was the only way he could get his life back on track and move forward and be functional. He'd been thinking about Beth for the last 48 hours straight – and if he was honest with himself, for the entire week before – but he knew he needed to break that habit, put his mind on something else. But that was no easy task, especially when Daryl realized that he hadn't checked his phone since Friday, and pulled it out as he pulled his truck up to his job site, arriving about 10 minutes early. He clicked the phone display on and started to check for calls and missed messages while he quickly ate his breakfast. He found that he had a barrage of missed calls and text messages, and they were all from Beth. He shook his head, trying to shake the fluttering feeling that rose inside of him when he saw her name listed over and over in his call log, and then again among his texts. He thought about just ignoring those messages – he could just delete them without reading them and then try to not think about them again. But he couldn't. For some reason, he needed to know what they said.

So he opened them, one after another, from the first one she'd sent early on Saturday morning, to the last one she'd sent, just a few hours ago.

Saturday 6:56 AM

I'm so sorry. Please call me back.

Saturday 9:14 AM

Daryl, please… Let's talk about it.

Saturday 11:33 AM

Can you come down to the beach and talk to me? We can have lunch.

I need to talk to you.

Saturday 1:02 PM

I can't take this. Please don't just ignore me.

Saturday 1:30 PM

Will you at least let me know you're okay?

Saturday 6:03 PM

Daryl?

Saturday 10:27 PM

Daryl?

Yesterday 3:42 AM

Don't shut me out Daryl. Please talk to me about this.

Yesterday 9:09 AM

Daryl? Please?

Yesterday 5:57 PM

Can we meet for dinner and talk?

Yesterday 11:49 PM

Why are you doing this?

Today 5:17 AM

You win. I'm giving up on trying to get you to talk to me. You obviously don't care about doing that. I know I hurt you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it… you have to know that I'd never hurt you on purpose. I'm hurting too. I care about you. I just want to talk to you… know you're okay. I can't keep doing this though – this is a dozen messages now, and I'm embarrassed that I didn't stop before now. Your silence tells me what I need to know, though, and I guess it's all for the best. You know where to find me, just in case.

Daryl was alright until he got to the last message, which she'd sent not even two hours before. The first ones sounded concerned, a bit frustrated, but hopeful. Even as recently as last night, she'd asked him about meeting her, wanting to get together for dinner to talk about things. And there had been missed phone calls mixed in around many of them. But with the last two messages there was a change – there were no more phone calls after dinner time last night and the tone of them was completely different. And that last message – it made tears come to Daryl's eyes to read it.

_'I'm giving up…'_

_'I can't keep doing this…'_

_'I'm embarrassed…'_

He didn't know what to think about that message. It seemed like her version of goodbye, didn't it? Yes, she'd left the door open a little bit at the very end, but that seemed like something she'd say anyway, whether she really meant it or not. What tore Daryl's heart out, though, was the statement right before that…

_'Your silence tells me what I need to know, though, and I guess it's all for the best…'_

Daryl didn't know how he would have responded to Beth if he'd gotten her messages or phone calls earlier. But he couldn't imagine that he would have ignored her – he was upset, but he didn't know if he could deny her in that way, he cared about her way too much for that. Why hadn't he checked his phone? Why had he just let himself wallow around in his misery, never even thinking that Beth could be trying to contact him? He had gotten so far into his own mind, convincing himself that she wouldn't want to talk to him, that he'd crossed a line with her that she'd never want to come back from. But now he wasn't sure what she wanted.

And two whole days later and in the clear light of the Monday morning sun, he wasn't sure what to do. Was Beth telling him that it was all over? Everything? He'd assumed that, and had prepared himself for that – he'd found in his life that it was generally best to assume the worst case scenario – that way, you were prepared for it, and pleasantly surprised if something else happened. And he'd definitely done that with Beth, assuming the absolute worst, but hanging on to a small glimmer of hope that he was wrong. He wanted to be with her, more than anything, but he'd solaced himself that he wouldn't be able to be – but he'd hoped that maybe she'd still, somehow, want to salvage their friendship. And, it would be hard for him, painful even, but he'd fight through it, just to be able to spend time with her, be close to her again. He'd suppressed that hope, but now it was bubbling up again.

He knew one thing, though – he had to get through this day at work. He had to focus, had to pay close attention to what was happening around him. A construction site was no place for a foreman that's mind was a million miles away, or really only a few miles away, at the home of a petite blonde. His lack of attention could result in costly mistakes and people could be hurt, or worse. So Daryl stashed his phone in his pants pocket, after making sure that the ringer was turned on and up high – he wanted to be able to hear it ringing if Beth happened to call. This time, he would answer, he told himself. And, finishing his large cup of coffee, he climbed out of his truck, heading over to his crew that had already started congregating, anxious to discuss plans and work assignments for the day. He could do this, Daryl told himself, he could make it through this day and keep his mind off of Beth.

* * *

><p>Daryl climbed back into his truck at the end of the day. It had been especially hot today and he was feeling the effects of the heat, his weekend of heavy drinking, as well as his empty stomach. He hadn't thought about bringing something for lunch – Beth had spoiled him by packing his lunch every day last week, and this morning he hadn't had anything at home to bring with him anyway, even if it had crossed his mind.<p>

He'd planned to go back to Walmart after work, but he felt the need to eat and shower first. He was sure he smelled terribly, after a day of hard work in the 100 degree South Carolina heat, and his stomach seemed angry at his neglect over the last few days, growling and clenching in pain. He altered his plans, now intending to stop on the way home for something to eat, going home to shower quickly, and then heading back out, list in hand, to shop for the things he needed for his apartment as well as a few groceries. He dreaded the shopping trip – he wasn't much of a shopper to begin with, but this was also something that he'd planned to do with Beth. And with her, he'd looked forward to it, just like any other plans they made to spend time together. He was sure that she could have invited him over to watch paint dry and he would have been excited. But now, he'd have to do this alone. And he'd have to use that list that she'd made, with her adorable handwriting and funny notes, and all those extra things she'd added onto the list "just because". He told himself that he'd mark those things off, he didn't need them, and he certainly wasn't going to buy them now.

Daryl thought quickly about what he wanted for dinner. He thought seriously about calling an order into Char-Bar, a local hamburger place that he loved – but then he thought better of it, thinking about the night last week that he'd picked up food there for he and Beth, taking it home for them as had become their ritual. He knew he needed to get over those thoughts of her, letting them influence him so significantly – he couldn't alter his entire life, avoiding certain places and activities, all because he'd done them with her, because they reminded him of her. Tonight, though, he would let himself indulge in that type of ridiculousness – so he decided to just go through a drive-thru window on the way home. He just needed a quick bite, anyway, he'd reasoned, as he didn't want to delay his Walmart trip too long. The sooner he got that behind him, the better, he thought.

* * *

><p>Daryl walked into Walmart like a man on a mission. He knew he should be excited about shopping for things for his new apartment, at least that's what Beth had told him before. She had certainly been excited about doing it. But he wasn't. Not under these circumstances, not without her. He just wanted to get in and get out, and get the groceries and the few other necessities that he needed to make things more functional for his new home. His new home, he questioned? He didn't see this apartment as a home at all – just a place to lay his head at night and to house the few material possessions that he owned. He'd felt at home with Beth, felt a real sense of belonging and overall peace that he wasn't sure he'd ever felt before in his life. He knew he needed to readjust his thinking though – that reality was gone now and his feelings needed to catch up.<p>

Everything about this trip made him think about Beth and it was starting to drive him absolutely crazy – he'd promised himself this morning that he would keep thoughts of her out of his mind. But not only had he not been able to do that, it seemed that as the day went on, he only thought about her more and more. And he was almost at a breaking point. He hoped that this trip was his last real connection to her – the last thing they'd planned to do together – and that after this was over, he could make a clean break from her, at least in his mind. He still wasn't sure that's what he really wanted – but his phone had been eerily silent today. Beth's last message to him from early this morning seemed to truly be her last. And Daryl was at a loss for what, if anything, to do about it. So far, he'd done nothing, choosing not to respond to her, trying to give himself some space for closure – and feeling like that was probably for the best for her too.

Hadn't he known since the first day they met that he shouldn't get his hopes up about things with her? He'd told himself then that she was far too good for him – and not only had that turned out to be very true, but he'd crossed a boundary he shouldn't have with her and there was no going back now. He'd suggested something to her that had obviously repulsed her – and in retrospect he should have known better, he told himself – Beth was so sweet and pure seeming, maybe that sort of thing wasn't appropriate to consider with a girl like that. He'd never been with someone like that before, someone who seemed so innocent and just genuinely good – and thinking back on Friday night's events he hated himself for the direction he'd tried to take things. He blamed himself over and over again for what had happened between them. He'd told her to tell him exactly what she wanted and it was deviating from what she'd asked for that had caused such a negative reaction from her. His motives in it had been good, he thought – he had wanted to please her, give her as much pleasure as possible. But he'd gotten himself into trouble that way, and then, to make things so much worse, instead of staying there with her, talking it over and working it out, he'd just left, like a spoiled child who hadn't gotten their way. And he couldn't imagine how that had looked to Beth, or how it had felt to her – as if Daryl only wanted her physically and that if he couldn't have that he wasn't really interested. That thought made Daryl sick to his stomach.

As he moved through the store, he kept consulting his list, evaluating it over and over. He'd never been into this particular store, other than his brief trip there early on Saturday morning. He wasn't familiar with the layout and didn't know where anything was. He groaned to himself at the thought of having to go aisle by aisle. This trip may take a lot longer than he'd hoped, he thought to himself. What else did he have to do though, he thought? Go home and sit and think about Beth? He hated that thought and so, as he was finishing up his shopping, nearing the back of the store, he picked up two more cases of beer, just like he had the last time he'd been here. He knew he wouldn't drink them as quickly as he had the last two, at least he tried to convince himself of that, but he felt like he'd need something to take the edge off of the day, and to help him continue to numb the pain he kept trying to suppress, but that still remained just under the surface of every thought and action.

Daryl approached the cash register area, with his buggy that, to his surprise, was filled to the brim with stuff he'd decided was "necessary". He'd ended up picking up a few of the things Beth had suggested that he'd initially told her he didn't need. But after walking through the store, and continuing to think about her, he'd decided he did "need" some of those things after all. Daryl was ready for this nightmare trip to be over, ready to have this behind him. Everything he'd looked at, every item he'd needed to buy, somehow reminded him of Beth. She'd made these adorable notes on his shopping list, with details or descriptions of things. It had been maddening to look at them at first, just another reminder of how his mind couldn't allow him to escape her – but he was eventually glad that they were there – she had noted a lot of details that he hadn't noticed and wouldn't have known about. Without her little notes, he wouldn't have known what size sheets to buy for his bed or that he needed to buy coffee filters to use with a coffee maker. She'd also noted the paint colors throughout the rooms of his apartment – with little suggestions of colors that might coordinate well. Daryl didn't care much about coordinating things, but knowing that Beth had thought so much about his apartment, wanting to be part of making it a nice home for him, had made him subconsciously smile. All this, though, just served as a painful reminder to him of how much she had done for him – little things that could have easily gone unnoticed – and he knew he would miss those little things, those little actions that she did because she cared and because she was just so unbelievably sweet that she couldn't help herself from wanting to do them for him.

He was all of a sudden very glad that the store wasn't very crowded tonight. He guessed that Monday nights weren't big for shopping, for vacationers or locals, and made a mental note to remember that for the future. He hated waiting in long checkout lines and would do almost anything to avoid it. He turned his cart slowly into a line where there was only one person in front of him – the cashier was already ringing up the woman's few items. Daryl didn't notice her at first, and her back remained to him, so she didn't notice him either. He was too lost in his own mind and busying himself with piling the items from his cart onto the conveyor belt. He did notice, though, the strange mix of things the woman was purchasing – a couple of women's magazine, two pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, two bottles of red wine, a huge tube of sunscreen, a multi-pack of chapstick, and some Kleenex. He couldn't help but wonder about that combination of items – some of the things, especially coupled together, almost seemed sad, like they'd belonged to someone that was having a hard time coping with something.

Daryl was still lost in his own thoughts and as he finished placing all of his items on the belt, he moved back around his cart to push it forward. He'd noticed that the woman was now paying the cashier. Her back was still mostly to him and he couldn't see her face, but Daryl's breath caught in his chest as he looked at her more carefully now. She was a tiny waif of a girl, with long blonde hair, and she wearing an over-sized red athletic style jacket that met her bare legs about mid thigh. At first Daryl wasn't sure if his mind was playing tricks on him. It couldn't be her, right? He moved forward slowly, stepping around his cart and reaching his arm out to grab onto the woman's arm.

"Beth?"


	14. Chapter 14

Once Daryl had grabbed onto the woman's arm, she spun around wildly.

"Hey…" Daryl said softly and with uncertainty. It was Beth. It was her. She was here. He couldn't believe his eyes. He felt his stomach lurch and all of a sudden he felt like he couldn't breathe. All the crazy feelings of the last few days, his anger, frustration, embarrassment, and fear, they all converged on him – but then they were overcome with one bigger emotion, joy. Beth was right here, and in that moment, he wanted to forget about everything and just wrap his arms around her.

She didn't respond to his words, but before he knew it, she was lunging herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, eliminating any space that existed between them at all. Daryl was at a loss – he felt like the missing part of him, that he'd been mourning over for the last three days, had found its way back to him. But nothing had been resolved between them. And something seemed very wrong with Beth – she wasn't letting go and he realized that she'd started to sob uncontrollably into his chest.

He pulled her away, just enough that he could actually look at her, but not breaking the contact between them. He needed that contact – feeling it now after three days of not seeing her, not touching her, her touch now made him realize how thirsty he was for her. It was in that moment that his heart really broke, though – he only thought he'd been experiencing pain over the last few days – but the way Beth looked made him realize how wrong he'd been. In a matter of just a few seconds, Daryl swore he'd felt the pieces of his heart coming back together again, only to be shattered again. Beth had obviously been crying a great deal, and not just in that one moment, because her face was extremely swollen and red. Her eyes, which were normally bright and sparkling, were the puffiest he ever remembering seeing anyone's and the skin underneath them was rimmed with very dark circles. But what haunted him the most was the dead expression that he found when he looked into her eyes – there was nothing there, no feeling or emotion, not even a real sense of recognition. The normal blue of her eyes had been replaced by a dull gray color, and Beth's facial expression almost resembled that of someone who had seen a ghost – instead of being scared, though, she just seemed to be in utter and total shock.

She remained silent, the blank expression on her face haunting Daryl. He noticed then that she was only wearing her lifeguard bathing suit, her jacket, and flip flops. No shorts. Luckily her jacket was large enough to cover her, but it wasn't like her to be dressed like this. And her hair was wild – half still up in the top knot that she often wore while working, but the rest had fallen haphazardly around her face. And she'd obviously made no effort to fix it, which again, Daryl thought was unlike her. She had random patches of sand covering her skin – some around both feet, then another patch around her right knee, some on her chest, and even a little on her face. But what concerned Daryl the most were the two large scrapes across Beth's shins. Daryl had never seen her come home from work that way – and it startled him. Had something happened at the beach today? He'd thought she told him that she had the day off – but he must have been mistaken. Why else would she be wearing her lifeguarding uniform?

Daryl didn't know what it was, but knew something was wrong, knew she was going through something painful. He knew that things between them hadn't been good, but he just couldn't imagine that her current state was related to what had happened between them on Friday night. It had been bad, sure, but it wouldn't have caused this, right? She wouldn't be this messed up over that, could she? She'd been texting and calling him constantly until this morning. This morning, he thought to himself, was the last message he'd gotten – and she sent it around the time she'd have been getting ready for work. Maybe something had happened at work today, but for the life of him, his brain couldn't think of what it would have been that would have caused her to have this type of reaction.

"Beth? What's going on? Are you okay?" Daryl asked. He realized how shaky his voice sounded – but it reflected how scared he felt in that moment. He instantly thought he'd asked an incredibly stupid question – obviously she wasn't okay, far from it, it seemed. He was confused, and felt powerless. He wanted to tell her in that moment how sorry he was for being so careless with her, and for not calling her back. He wanted to hold onto her and beg her to forgive him, beg her to forget what had happened between them, and ask her if they could just start everything over. He wanted to kiss her, tell her that everything was going to be okay, and that he would protect her, that he'd be more careful with her heart from now on. He wanted to promise her that he'd never walk out on her again, that he'd been wrong to do that. He knew he normally would have been too proud for any of that, and in the past he would have let that pride get in the way of being honest about how he really felt. But after the last few days he knew he couldn't let that limit him anymore. He'd thought he could just forget about her, but today had shown him just how wrong he was. And now that she was standing here before him, he knew he didn't want to forget. Beth deserved to hear all of those things from him. And he wanted to tell her.

But she reminded silent, despondent. Her eyes were still glazed over – and Daryl was struck with the violent turn that her emotions had made within just a couple of minutes. At first she'd been crying so intensely, obviously upset. But now, she was stoic, almost seeming catatonic. And Daryl had no idea what to do to pull her out of it. He felt so much pain in seeing her this way, so obviously broken, and especially guilty for the part that he'd possibly played in it, if these emotions actually were a response to what had happened between them on Friday. He knew Beth was very emotional, she'd shown him that several times, even in the short amount of time they'd known each other. He'd realized quickly how fiercely she cared about others, and how quickly attached she became – and that anything that tampered with those connections often sent her into a tailspin.

"Sir?... Sir?" the cashier's voice broke into Daryl's thoughts, snapping him back into reality. The cashier had apparently already rung up all of his items, bagged them up, and loaded them back into a buggy for him to take to the parking lot. He was shocked that enough time had passed to allow her to do that, but then again, he'd been lost in the moment, in Beth and what was going on with her.

"Sorry…" Daryl apologized quickly. "Here…" he said as he quickly dug out his wallet, handing the woman his debit card, paying no attention to the total. In that moment, he couldn't care less about what he was spending – he wished he didn't have all these bags of stuff to deal with now. Beth needed him and he had to get her home – had to get her out of here and talk to her, figure out what was going on.

"Here you go, sir…" the cashier said. She had realized the gravity of what was happening in front of her, and so, instead of instructing Daryl on how to swipe his own card through the small machine at the checkout, the woman wordlessly processed Daryl's card for him, handing it back to him, along with the receipt. "I put her bags in the seat of the cart… I… uh… assumed y'all are together?".

"Yeah…" Daryl responded, a bit of uncertainty in his voice. "Thanks".

"I… I hope she'd okay" the cashier said, a somewhat bewildered look on her face. Daryl moved towards the cart that was overflowing with his things, and Beth's too, nodding at the cashier in response. He didn't know what to say. He hoped Beth would be okay too, but he didn't know what to say or do to help her. She was still just staring ahead blankly, emotionless, her body almost limb.

Daryl didn't know what to do – but he knew he had to get her out of the store. Maybe if he could get her home, get her cleaned up and fed, maybe she'd snap out of this, he hoped. Pushing the cart with one hand, he grabbed Beth protectively around the waist and started to lead her towards the door of the store. She shuffled her little feet slowly along, following Daryl's lead, but saying nothing. She didn't fight him and Daryl hoped that at least that was a good sign, that she was going along with him willingly. Daryl's mind raced. What was happening? What should he do? Had he caused this or was it something else? Beth's initial reaction in seeing him had suggested that she wasn't mad at him, but he couldn't be sure what was causing her to be so visibly upset.

They got out to Daryl's truck quickly and he went straight to the passenger side, getting Beth loaded in, before wanting to attend to getting the million little plastic grocery bags into the back. Beth was nonresponsive – and Daryl placed her seat belt around her, then cupping his hands around her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Beth… I'm not sure what's going on. I'm gonna get you home, though. I'm gonna take care of you. I'm so sorry, baby. It's gonna be okay. I promise." Daryl said, speaking very slowly but confidently, and pausing between each statement. He cringed a bit when he realized he'd called her "baby" again, like he had so many times on Friday. Saying it then had just come naturally to him. He hadn't called her that because he was pretending and he sure wasn't pretending now. That term of endearment fit her, for him, and although he knew that Beth might not like it, he couldn't worry about it now. He wasn't even sure if Beth could hear him, or if she was listening. He hadn't known what else to say – and he knew that wasn't nearly enough. But without knowing what was causing Beth to have this type of emotional catharsis, he didn't know what else to say or do. He hoped those simple few statements would at least be enough to reassure her that he was going to take care of her.

Daryl quickly loaded all of the bags into the back of his truck. He didn't care much about any of this stuff now – but he couldn't just leave it there, and he'd figure out what to do with it once he'd gotten a better handle on what was happening with Beth. His first priority now, though, was getting her home. He couldn't even imagine that she'd driven herself to the store in her current state and he shook his head thinking about how dangerous that had been. He was glad that he'd stumbled upon her; her car would just have to stay here for a while, he thought. That wasn't really of too much concern at the moment. He took extra care to place Beth's two bags next to her in the truck – he wanted to make sure they got taken into the house once they'd gotten there. She'd wanted those things for a reason and he wanted to make sure that she had them.

As he climbed into the truck, he quickly buckled himself in and then, looking over to check on Beth, who still was just staring straight ahead, he started up the truck and started to pull away. A moment later, he glanced back over, only to see a single tear streaking down the left side of her face. She was hurting, Daryl thought, and he was going to do everything he could to get her through this, whatever it was.

He reached over towards her, grabbing her left hand and squeezing it in his tightly. He held it on the seat between them, on top of Beth's bags, trying to give her whatever physical reassurance that he could – he wanted her to know he was there, that he wasn't going to leave her. Her despondency was breaking his heart, but she'd let him hold her hand and hadn't tried to pull it away. He brought her hand up to his mouth, pressing his lips to it for a long while, finally bringing it back down onto the seat.

"I've got you, baby girl. And I'm not letting go".


	15. Chapter 15

Daryl held tightly onto Beth's hand the whole way home. While it was only about a 10 minute drive from Walmart to her house, to Daryl it seemed like hours had passed by the time they pulled into Beth's driveway. He tried to stay calm, but it was hard not to work himself into a frenzy, at least in his mind, over this situation. But he told himself he would stay outwardly calm, for Beth – she needed to know that he could be strong when she couldn't be. It wouldn't be easy, he knew enough about himself that he often didn't handle anxiety and negative emotions well – but he had to be Beth's rock right now. He had to show her that he could be strong enough for both of them.

Daryl hardly got the truck into park before he was jumping out, running around the back, unbuckling Beth, and pulling her out of the seat and onto the driveway. He couldn't help but think that Beth was almost like a rag doll; she was able to stand on her own, but she had no tension at all in her body, allowing herself to be pushed or pulled whichever way Daryl chose. He guessed that meant that she trusted him, if she was even capable of thoughts like that at the moment. He gathered her bags with one hand, closed the truck's door, and placed his arm firmly around Beth's shoulder, leading her up the driveway and onto the front porch. He didn't bother to ask her for the key – she hadn't said one word to him since he'd first seen her at the store, and he couldn't imagine she was going to start talking all of a sudden now. He went to the flower pot, the one she'd told him she hid an extra key under, and he was glad to find that she had returned it to that location after they'd used it on Friday night.

He got Beth into the house fairly easily. If Daryl was going to find a bright spot in all of this it was that Beth hadn't fought him, not in any way or with anything he'd done. He knew he needed to get her to her room, get her cleaned up, but he wanted to be sensitive about it – he was incredibly fearful of making the wrong move and having her breakdown even further. Daryl left her bags and her purse on the counter in the kitchen, telling himself he'd come back to put her ice cream into the freezer, and started to lead Beth upstairs to her room. He considered scooping her up, and carrying her – it would have been much easier and efficient, he thought – but he didn't want to scare her. He had no idea what had happened to her to cause this state of shock that she seemed to be in, and his mind went wild thinking about the possibilities.

Once in her room, he went straight to her bathroom and turned on the water in the jacuzzi tub. Beth needed to clean the sand off of her body and wash her hair, but he thought that a bath would be best for her – he was worried about her ability to stand up in the shower for more than a few moments and he hoped that the hot water of the bath would soothe her physically and emotionally. Daryl couldn't help but hope that if Beth felt better physically, it would only serve to help chase away whatever demons she was battling in her mind. When he came out of the bathroom, Beth was standing in the exact spot where he'd left her, still staring blankly ahead, her posture somewhat slumped and limp.

"Beth… I'm going to take your jacket off now, okay?" Daryl said to Beth, speaking in somewhat of an exaggerated way. He didn't want her to be scared – he wanted to go step by step with her, explaining everything he did before he did it and giving her a chance to protest. Daryl waited, but no response came from her. He couldn't stand this, and he didn't know what to do to get through to her. His heart was pounding and all he wanted to do was shake her out of this state.

"Beth?" Daryl asked again slowly. "Can you at least look at me?". She didn't. She didn't move, hardly blinked, and Daryl wasn't sure if his words were evening registering in her mind. Daryl slowly took his hand and moved it to her chin, edging her face up towards his. And he met her eyes then, and although they looked weak and scared, she didn't shift them away. Beth was hidden somewhere inside herself, but she was looking back at Daryl now and he hoped that meant that she knew he was there with her. In that moment, Daryl took that as a small victory.

"I'm taking it off now…" he told her again. And he slowly unzipped her lifeguard jacket and pulled it off of her. Daryl checked her arms and back quickly, looking for signs of other scrapes or cuts like the ones on her shins. But there thankfully weren't any. Beth was left in her red swimsuit and although Daryl wanted to help her get it off, he knew he couldn't, knew he shouldn't. It wasn't because it would have been something sexual; Daryl just knew she'd experienced some sort of trauma, and he knew enough to know that he couldn't put her in a vulnerable state like that. He'd experienced a lot of his own trauma and he knew that the best thing to do for someone afterwards was to be as gentle and guarded as possible. So he led her into the bathroom, bending down to help her remove her flip flops, and speaking to her, again in that slow and exaggerated way.

"Beth… You've gotta get all that sand off… And wash your hair. If you don't wanna take your suit off, just get in the tub with it on… It'll be alright. I'll clean the scrapes on your legs for you when you get out, okay? Only if you want." He waited. And she said nothing.

"I'm gonna lay some clean clothes out on your bed and shut the door. You put them on when you finish. Take all the time in here that you want though. I'll be here. I'm not leaving." He waited again. Still nothing.

"I'm gonna go downstairs for a few minutes… take care of a few things. But I'll be back up here to check on you, okay? I'll be just outside the door to your room. Take your time, okay? I'll just be right outside waiting." Daryl held his breath. He'd settle for a head nod or a grunt – but still nothing.

After a moment passed, he decided to just let her be. The water had filled up in the bath tub enough to be shut off, so he quickly turned the knobs and walked back towards the bedroom. He hoped that she would move when she was ready. He checked around the bathroom, making sure her robe and some clean towels were within reach – and once he'd seen that they were, he shut the bathroom door to give her some privacy and then quickly set about on his task of finding her some clothes. He'd been in her room a few times over the last week, but not often, and not for very long. He didn't know where anything was and he hated to just pillage through her things, but he didn't feel like he had much choice. After opening a few drawers in her dresser, he stumbled upon her underwear – so he grabbed a very plain looking pair of boy shorts and closed the drawer again quickly. He was fairly certainly she didn't wear a bra around the house – and in this moment, that wasn't much of a concern to him, either. He continued opening drawers and was happy to find a sweatshirt that he'd seen her wear often at home – it was old and over-sized and said Georgia Bulldogs on it. He knew she liked it and hoped that if he sat it out for her, it'd make her feel comfortable. He also found a clean pair of shorts for her, just like the ones that he always saw her in when she was just hanging out around the house. She must have had a dozen pairs of those same ones in the drawer and Daryl couldn't help but smile at that.

Daryl laid the clothes out carefully on her bed. He moved towards the bedroom door, only to stop once he'd reached it. He wanted to listen, just for a moment, to see if he could detect any sign that Beth was actually getting into the bath, or moving around at all in the bathroom, for that matter. He stood there for a good long while, when he finally heard some shuffling around, the sound of something wet hitting the bathroom floor, and then the water in the tub sloshing around. His heart surged just a little, knowing that at least Beth had taken a few steps of her own and undressed and gotten into the tub.

He finally felt comfortable going downstairs, if only just for a few minutes, to give Beth some privacy and to deal with the groceries. He quickly put her ice cream in the freezer and pulled the other items from her bags out, sitting them out neatly onto the counter. Daryl briefly considered taking Beth a glass of wine, or a bowl of ice cream, or a magazine – but he couldn't very well barge into the bathroom with those things, while Beth was naked and practically catatonic in the bath tub. He moved his focus towards the bags in the back of his truck – he knew he couldn't leave all of those things there and he needed to move them now. He didn't know how long he might be here with Beth, but he wasn't planning to leave her in this condition and he didn't know how long it might take her to snap out of it. He was thinking about his plan when he heard a phone ringing. He quickly realized it was coming from Beth's purse – he was curious for a moment, but ignored it. He had bigger things to worry about in that moment than who was calling.

He walked quickly out to his truck, not wanting to be away from Beth for too long, examining all the bags and quickly deciding on a plan – he would move all of the non-perishable items into the backseat of the truck, which would keep the front passenger side clear in case he needed to take Beth somewhere. And, he would take all of the perishable items inside. There was no reason to just let them go bad out here and he didn't know what kind of groceries Beth had – if this situation was as serious as he thought it was, he might be here for a while, and they might need some of these things like milk, juice, and eggs. Daryl made quick work of his task – and within five minutes, he'd moved all the items he needed to into the back of the cab and had gotten the others inside.

As he started to unpack the groceries and find a home for them, he heard Beth's phone ringing again. And again, he ignored it. But only a couple of minutes later, it was ringing again, and Daryl couldn't take the sound or the curiosity – so he dug through her purse, pulling out her phone when he finally found it buried among all of the junk in her purse. The call had ended, but the display registered 17 missed calls. He tapped the button that displayed the list, eager to find out who had been calling so often. The list came up and Daryl saw that all 17 missed calls were from someone very familiar. And he saw red.

Zach.


	16. Chapter 16

"Beth? Are you okay? Oh God, I was so worried… I've been trying to call and call and you weren't answering… I was…" Zach said nervously as he answered his phone. But he was abruptly cut off by the person on the other end.

"Why the HELL are you calling Beth 17 times in row? Huh? What's going on, man? What happened to her? What did YOU do to her?" Daryl barked into Beth's phone, gritting his teeth in anger. He was mad, so incredibly angry, and he couldn't control himself.

Beth had told Daryl a lot about Zach – after their brief and awkward encounter at the café the Sunday that Daryl and Beth met, Daryl had asked more about Zach, especially more about how their conversation had gone after Daryl had stormed out. At first, Daryl had been fearful of Beth getting into trouble because of their long lunch – he'd felt ashamed that he'd lost track of time and that he'd allowed Beth to put herself into that situation in the first place. But Beth had assured him that Zach had always been forgiving of her mistakes, giving her a lot of grace when she was late or something else happened. Beth had told Daryl that she attributed part of this to Zach's apparent feelings towards her – she was honest with Daryl about Zach's persistence towards her. Since the first moment they'd met, years ago, Beth told Daryl, he'd expressed interest in her, never taking to heart all the times she'd told him she wasn't interested in dating him. She'd thought he was harmless, and he'd always been forgiving of her as an employee – so she'd overlooked some of his aggressiveness towards her. And while Daryl was glad that he hadn't gotten Beth into trouble with her boss, he hadn't had a good feeling about it. He had seen the way that Zach's eyes blazed when he'd seen him and Beth together in the café and he knew that there was something more behind his emotions than just a boss who was frustrated with his employee. It also hadn't helped that Beth mentioned to Daryl that on a couple of different occasions during the week when he stayed at her house, Zach warned her repeatedly about "guys like him". Beth said that she hadn't given Zach many details about things with Daryl, just telling him that she was "helping him through a difficult time" and trying to convince him that he didn't need to concern himself with it all. But Zach hadn't really believed her, at least it didn't seem so based on the things he'd said to Beth. Daryl had warned Beth too, casually but seriously, to try to keep as much distance as possible from Zach. But he'd guessed that she wouldn't listen – she seemed to always want to see the best in others, to see the good and ignore all the bad. And while he loved that about her, thinking specifically about how he'd seen all the good in him, he hated to think that she was too naïve to recognize someone that might be a danger to her.

And when Daryl saw Zach's name listed over and over again on Beth's call log, he couldn't help but think about all of those bad feelings he'd had about him and jump to the worst possible conclusion. Zach had finally taken things too far, hadn't he? That would explain her physical appearance, and definitely the state of shock that she was in. Daryl knew that state all too well – he'd experienced a lot of physical abuse and knew what it was like to just want to sink into yourself, to lose yourself in your own mind, having no ability or desire to engage with those outside of yourself. He feared that was what was happening right now to Beth and he couldn't stand the thought of that disgusting sleaze ball Zach trying to put his hands on Beth.

So Daryl had done what he thought he needed to in the moment – he'd pushed the send button. He wanted to talk to Zach, he needed to confront him about this situation with Beth.

"What? What'd you say, man? What did I do to her? Nothing! What… what makes you say that? Did she say something…?" Zach said, his voice snapping Daryl back to the reality of the moment. Daryl couldn't help but think that Zach sounded nervous, and that only fueled his anger.

"She didn't have to, you jackass! I saw what she looked like – I'm here with her RIGHT NOW!" Daryl replied. His anger was building – he knew he should control it, he was even afraid Beth might be able to hear him from all the way upstairs, but he didn't care.

"Whoa man… Calm down. Just listen to me..." Zach pleaded. He was trying to bring the conversation down to a normal level, but Daryl didn't care.

"Why should I listen to YOU?" Daryl roared. Daryl was outraged at Zach's audacity to even ask him to talk to him. Why was he trying to call Beth so frantically, Daryl wondered? Was he trying to explain away whatever it was that had happened earlier? Daryl thought that was likely.

"Something happened today… Yeah… But, it's not what you think man…" Zach started to try to explain. He's going to admit it, Daryl thought to himself. In that moment, his heart was pounding so quickly that he'd lost all sense of rationality or control – he needed to know what had happened. He needed to hear Zach admit to hurting Beth.

"Oh? It's NOT what I think?" Daryl answered. "You tell me what it was then, huh?" Daryl hated Zach, didn't really care what he had to say. But he needed to help Beth – so whatever Zach could tell him, he'd take it.

"A little girl died! She drowned!" Zach blurted out, a little bit forcefully.

Daryl was suddenly quiet. He couldn't breathe. His head was swimming. He hadn't thought of that, hadn't thought that Beth's state could have something to do with that kind of a tragedy, but it all made sense now. He knew how much Beth loved her job, and how seriously she took it. She was always telling him how she needed to focus on what was going on around her, and how she couldn't get distracted, that someone's life could be in danger if she didn't pay attention the way she was supposed to. And Beth loved children, maybe more than anyone he'd ever met. She was dedicating her life to teach them music and when you talked to her, you could tell how much she looked forward to actually getting into the classroom and working with them. That had been one of her biggest points of excitement for the upcoming school year – she would be completing her student teaching requirements, so she'd actually be in an actual school classroom working with actual students.

"What?" Daryl asked. That was all he could muster. His head was swirling with too many thoughts – and he was trying to show his mind down.

"Yeah… Uh… It happened late this afternoon. She was a little ways from Beth's chair… technically not even in Beth's zone area, but… well… no one else was there. Beth tried to save her, but, there was a rip current. She… uh… the little girl… well… Beth couldn't get to her in time. By the time she'd pulled her out, she was already blue." Zach said.

It hit Daryl that this had obviously been a painful experience for Zach too. His words were labored and somewhat emotional. And Zach didn't seem like the kind of guy that got emotional over just anything. Daryl suddenly felt terrible – he had blamed Zach for hurting Beth, all because he'd had a bad feeling about the guy, because he wanted to have an answer for why Beth was hurting. And he wanted to be able to do something about it. He didn't even know Zach, he thought. He'd just decided that he didn't like him because he was trying to pursue Beth.

"Shit" Daryl said softly. It was all hitting him now, the full reality of the situation. He knew he needed to apologize. He couldn't believe that his mind had made such a massive jump, assuming something terrible about Zach.

"Yeah…" Zach responded. A few moments of silence passed them both by – it was obviously that neither one really knew what to say. But then Zach spoke again. "I mean, what the hell, man? Why you think automatically that I did something to her?" Zach asked. It was strange, Daryl thought, that all of a sudden, now, Zach was defensive, more forward and aggressive.

"Shit" Daryl said again. He hated this. He hated what he'd said to Zach. And now he hated that he was standing here, in Beth's kitchen, talking to Zach instead of upstairs with Beth. "Man, listen… I'm sorry… I'm just all hyped up. I shoudn't have said any of that stuff." Daryl said apologetically. He wanted to explain himself, but he didn't know how. And right now his top priority was getting back to Beth.

"Listen, man…" Zach started. "I get it. You like her…".

"No one else was there?" Daryl interrupted, not even listening to Zach's words. "What did you mean when you said that? That no one else was there?" Daryl asked. He didn't know why those words had popped up his mind all of a sudden.

"Well… the other lifeguard that was in that zone was… not there." Zach said nervously.

"Not there?" Daryl asked. "Why weren't they there?"

"It's a long story, I guess…" Zach said and Daryl could tell that there was a lot more to the story, a lot more that Zach wasn't telling him.

"Well you better find the short version of it and get on with telling me!" Daryl replied. He was getting heated again, he could feel the anger rising up in his face. He needed to know the whole story, needed to know what had really happened.

"Well… that other lifeguard… Kelsey… She was over with me when it happened… She was… getting some supplies… talking to me about her schedule and stuff" Zach said.

"About her SCHEDULE? And STUFF?" Daryl erupted in response. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew the implications of what Zach was saying – this other lifeguard was over flirting with Zach, or Zach was flirting with her, when she should have been at her lifeguard chair doing her job. "You've got to be kidding me, man! What the hell were you thinking about? Aren't you the one in charge of everyone? Making sure everyone is where they're supposed to be?".

"Listen… I… I didn't mean for that to happen. Obviously. I wouldn't have done it if I thought something like… something like that would happen." Zach said.

"No kidding! Too late for that now though, don't ya think?" Daryl responded. He was furious. Because of Zach's negligence, and this other girl, Kelsey's, stupidity, Beth had been left to deal with the girl in the ocean. A dead girl. Daryl couldn't even imagine.

Daryl didn't know what else to say. And neither did Zach, obviously. Daryl was hoping he could end this conversation, though. He needed to get upstairs to Beth. He knew now what was causing her to be so withdrawn, and he needed to do whatever he could to pull her out of it.

"Look… This wasn't anybody's fault. It just happened. It happens sometimes, I guess." Zach offered.

"It just HAPPENS sometimes?" Daryl asked furiously. He couldn't believe Zach, couldn't believe that he was trying to turn this around. How could he say that it just "happens sometimes"? Had he told that little dead girl's family that?

"I just mean… I don't want Beth to think it's her fault, is all" Zach said, a little too matter-of-factly for Daryl's liking.

"OH! I'm going to make sure she knows ALL about what happened to put her in that situation in the first place!" Daryl said. But Daryl's heart ached – he knew all too well, as soon as he said that, what the reality was for Beth – she was too kind-hearted, too compassionate and emotional to ever think it was anyone's fault but her own. She would always blame herself for this, always think there was something else she could have done to save that little girl. She would never get over this, Daryl thought. And the thought of her always carrying that kind of emotional baggage around, probably for the rest of her life, broke Daryl's heart. He wanted to run to Beth and hold her. He wanted to put her back together, piece by piece, just like she'd done for him. But he knew that was easier hoped for than actually accomplished. One thing was for sure, he thought, standing here and talking to Zach wasn't going to do Beth any good.

And Zach was silent. It was apparent to Daryl that he didn't know what to say. And that was okay – he just needed to end this call. He had to get back upstairs. Daryl took some deep breaths – he needed to calm down, needed to get himself together before he went back upstairs. He was hurting now, hurting for Beth, even more so than before this conversation with Zach. It had been hard for him not knowing what had happened to her, not knowing what to say or do to help. And Daryl had thought that once he figured out what had caused Beth's mental blackout that he could help her fix it. But he didn't expect something like this. Sure, if someone had hurt her, he could put them in their place – he was prepared to beat up and threaten anyone he had to in order to keep Beth safe. But an emotional scar like this one, he wasn't quite sure how to fix. How did he help her get over something like this?

"Look, Zach… You tell yourself what you've got to to help you cope with this. But I'm just trying to do right by Beth… Just trying to make sure she's okay. She ain't okay right now though, man… not by a long shot" Daryl said. He hoped Zach would understand – he hoped he'd realize the situation and just drop everything.

But Zach remained silent.

"I… uh… I gotta go check on Beth" Daryl started to explain to Zach again. "I left her in the bath tub and I need to make sure she's still okay…" Daryl was trying to get off of the phone, out of this conversation, and back to Beth. But Zach obviously wasn't done with their conversation.

"In the bath tub, huh?" Zach said, almost laughing. "I don't know why you think she's gonna get with you, old man. I mean… a girl like Beth, she can have anybody she wants. Yeah, she's kinda innocent and all… But a lot of guys love that. And she's got her choice of anybody around here, that's for sure. Why the hell do you think she would ever wanna be with you?" Zach said boldly, continuing to chuckle at his comments to Daryl.

Daryl just tried to focus, tried to breathe normally. He wanted to scream at Zach, wanted to tell him how wrong he was, that he didn't know anything about he and Beth's relationship. He just wanted to get off the phone, though. He knew Zach was trying to bait him into having a big huge reaction to what he'd said – and for once in his life, Daryl told himself that he wouldn't fall for that, that he'd just let it go.

He had tried to be nice to Zach. He'd even apologized to him for accusing him of hurting. And he had felt bad – Zach had seemed emotional over what had happened today. But now, he wasn't really sorry – he'd been right about Zach. No, he hadn't physically laid his hands on Beth, but he'd been the one that was negligent in the situation, putting Beth into a bad situation and, inevitably, costing a child her life. And his sorrow seemed to be more centered around his anxiety over being the one to blame for the whole thing, not in the terrible tragedy that had occurred. He wasn't sure if Zach really cared at all about that little girl's life – he seemed to care much more about himself and the repercussions of anyone thinking he'd been responsible for the girl's death. In that moment, Daryl wanted to just reach through the phone – he'd have given almost anything to be able to Zach in the face, although he knew he'd never be able to stop himself at that. He wanted to hurt him just as bad as Beth had been hurt by what happened. He knew that wouldn't help Beth resolve her pain, though. He wished he knew what would. He knew he hadn't known her all that long, but he felt like he knew her pretty well. And the Beth he knew would take a long time to recover from something this devastating.

He thought suddenly back to Beth in the tub and all of a sudden he started to panic. How long had it been since he had left her there? Should he have even left her there alone to begin with? She wouldn't do something stupid to herself, right? He couldn't imagine she would, but he also never thought he'd see her in such a hopeless state as the one that he'd found her in at Walmart. Beth was so strong, so resilient, and so full of life – but the Beth that he'd brought home was broken and battered, both physically and emotionally and he worried about what it would take, and how long it would take, to get her out of that state. Daryl could have kicked himself – Beth had seen a little girl drown today, and Daryl had left her alone in a huge tub of water in some sort of unresponsive state. And in that moment, everything stood still – he wasn't thinking about Zach's attempt to provoke him, or his disbelief in how out of touch Zach was with reality - all he could think was that his feet couldn't move fast enough up those stairs into that room to get to Beth.


	17. Chapter 17

"Beth? BETH!?" Daryl called out from the hallway. In that moment, his panic had overtaken him. He wasn't concerned with rational thought, or thinking through what was happening – instead, he was driven by fear. He needed to get to Beth as quickly as physically possible, he thought. He couldn't hear anything coming from her room and he felt bile rising up from his stomach thinking about the horrors of what he might find in that bathroom.

He burst into Beth's room – he didn't knock, didn't stop to think about that. But after he'd charged in, he instantly regretted that choice and that he'd let himself be blinded by his fear. He'd told her he would wait outside. And he'd told himself to be careful with her and give her some privacy – she was in a very fragile state and he didn't want to push her even further towards the edge. But he'd forgotten about all of that. And now, Beth was standing before him, looking at him wildly, her previously blank eyes now full of emotion. And she was completely naked.

Daryl froze for a moment. He knew that maybe he shouldn't have been too worried about seeing Beth naked – after all, he had seen her that way before. But Daryl knew all too well what had happened the last time he'd seen her that way and the last thing he wanted to do, especially right now, was to make Beth uncomfortable. He knew he should leave, knew he should get out of there as quickly as possible, giving Beth the space and time she needed. But his feet seemed glued to the place where he stood and he couldn't take his eyes off of Beth's – they were so full of hurt and fear. He couldn't look away from those eyes; and in that moment, it appeared that Beth couldn't look away from him either.

But all of a sudden, Beth was moving towards him. She got very close and then slowly put her arms around Daryl's waist, pulling herself into him, laying her head onto his chest. Daryl was in shock and for a moment, didn't move. He tentatively places his hands around her elbows, afraid to truly embrace her – she was naked and he didn't to touch her, too afraid of the situation.

After what seemed, at least to Daryl, like an eternity had gone by, Beth slowly changed her focus, looking over the clothes on her bed that Daryl had set out for her. She walked back to her bed and reached for her underwear and started to shimmy into them. This snapped Daryl out of his trance-like state, reminding him that Beth was naked and trying to dress.

"I'll leave you alone. I… uh… I'm sorry Beth. I shouldn't have come in here like that." Daryl said, stumbling a little on his words and nodding his head as he spoke. All of a sudden he was aware of the heat that had rushed into his face, as he felt incredibly uncomfortable in the situation. He'd been stupid to just barge in, he thought. Why did he do that?

He walked back into the hallway and closed Beth's bedroom door quickly. He figured he would just wait for her – that she'd come out when she was ready. He couldn't hear her moving at all, which slightly unnerved him, but he also knew that as small as she was and as slowly as her movements had been that she probably wouldn't make much sound at all. But he wished she would – she wished he knew exactly what she was doing. It was not knowing that drove him almost insane worrying about her.

Only a few moments seemed to pass, though, before he heard the door start to open. And then, there was Beth, wearing the clothes that he'd laid out for her, and walking toward him. Her hair was wet, but she had brushed it out and it fell straight down her back. She passed right by him, not making a sound and not really looking at him. The wild expression that he'd seen in her eyes just a few minutes before was gone, but Daryl felt a bit of joy that she didn't have that steely gray expressionless look back either. He would settle for the middle ground, now, as long as she didn't go back to that former state, that state that he'd found her in that had scared him so badly.

Daryl watched Beth as she moved forward, eventually heading down the stairs and into the kitchen. He followed behind her, making sure to keep a little distance between them to give her some space. He stopped at the doorway to the kitchen, just watching her, unsure what to say or do to help her. And she seemed to pay little attention to him, simply seeking out the things she'd come into the kitchen for – some ice cream, a spoon, and magazines. She picked up these things and moved into the living room, sitting down on the couch and wrapping a big brown blanket around herself.

Daryl just watched her, still standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He was glad that he now knew what happened to her to cause such an intense reaction, an emotional and physical shutdown like he'd never seen before. But now, he was at a loss as to how to approach it with Beth. Should he tell her that he'd talked with Zach? That he knew about the drowning? Should he try to get her to talk about it, or just leave her alone to speak when she was ready? How long should he stay here with her?

He decided to stay, but to let Beth have her space for now. He would eventually try to talk to her about everything that happened, if she didn't talk to him first – but now, he wanted to give her a chance to heal on her own and to have the ability to do that without him prying. So he went back into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar, in the same place where he'd sat so many times over the previous week with Beth having breakfast and dinner. From there, he could see her, but he was out of the way enough that it wouldn't be completely obvious to Beth, especially since her back was mostly turned to him.

And he sat there and watched her, for what seemed like hours, as she slowly ate her ice cream and flipped mindlessly through the pile of magazines she had retrieved to look at.

* * *

><p>Daryl woke up startled. At first he wasn't sure where he was – but then he realized that he'd fallen asleep sitting at the breakfast bar at Beth's. He wasn't sure how much time had passed – he hadn't really even known what time it was when he'd come into the kitchen to sit down and watch Beth. The gravity of what had happened that evening all came flooding back to him and before he knew it, he was moving towards the living room, moving towards Beth. He needed to check on her, needed to know that she was still okay.<p>

When he reached her, he let out the breath he'd been holding. She was fast asleep on the couch, a magazine still open on her lap. She looked so peaceful, Daryl thought, and he just stood and watched her resting, breathing in and out, the painful expression on her face replaced with a beautifully serene one. He debated moving her up to her room, but decided against it. He knew he could easily lift her up and carry her upstairs but he was too afraid to risk it, too afraid that she might wake up. And she seemed so calm in her sleep that he wanted to ensure that she had as many moments of peace as possible, before she woke up and all the memories of what had happened that day came surging back into the forefront of her mind.

Daryl took the magazine carefully from Beth's lap and pulled the blanket further up, covering her from just below her chin all the way down to her feet. He brushed a few lose pieces of hair out of her face. He saw Beth's eyelashes flutter a bit and he froze – he was afraid his actions had woken her. But she never opened her eyes and after a few moments he was confident that she was still asleep. And he couldn't help himself, so before he walked away, he bent down slowly and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, baby girl."

* * *

><p>Daryl woke up again with a start. All of a sudden, unfamiliar voices filled his ears and for a moment, he was a bit panicked. He was quickly relieved when he noticed the source of the voices – Beth had turned on the TV and was intently watching the content, which Daryl finally recognized as The Today Show. He just sat there for a moment, content that Beth seemed a little better and Daryl felt a little bit of happiness that they'd made it through the night relatively unscathed. Beth was still in the same spot she'd been the night before, but at least she was sitting up and doing something, even if it was just watching TV. She still didn't seem to be paying Daryl any attention at all, almost making him question whether she remembered that he was still there.<p>

After a moment, though, Daryl's blood pressure seemed to suddenly rise again. He realized it was Tuesday, that he didn't know what time it was, but that he was probably already late to work. He hadn't thought to set an alarm the night before, he was too worried about Beth and his mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of what Zach had told him and what his plan was with Beth. He wasn't sure if he should leave her, even if just for a few hours. But he'd only been working this job for a week and he knew he couldn't call in and ask for the day off.

Daryl got up quickly, moving into the kitchen to check the time. He was relieved to see that it was only around 7 am and that he still had a few minutes before he'd be late for work. He decided, after a few minutes of thinking about it, that he would call Tyreese and talk to him on his way in to work, but he wouldn't ask for time off. Instead, he would just ask for a little understanding and maybe a bit of flexibly over the next week or so. He wanted to be able to check in on Beth a couple of times during the day, but he didn't think Tyrese would mind, especially since Beth's house was less than 10 minutes from his job site.

He wished he had time to go out and get Beth some breakfast, but he knew that wasn't possible. He quickly started a small pot of coffee – enough for Beth to have a few cups and for him to take with him in a travel mug to drink on his short drive. He scavenged around and found an assortment of things that he'd learned Beth ate regularly – strawberries and blackberries, granola, and Greek yogurt. He quickly placed a healthy portion of all of those things onto a serving tray that was in the kitchen and poured her a large glass of orange juice. Once the coffee was finished, he poured Beth a cup, fixing it the way that he had seen her do several times before, and carried the tray into the living room to her. He sat it down on the coffee table right in front of her and then knelt down in front of her, wanting to get more onto her level to try and talk to her.

"Good morning" he said sweetly, trying to seem upbeat and hoping that some of the hopefulness in his voice would rub off on Beth. Daryl reached out tentatively and rubbed the side of Beth's shoulder. "How are you feeling this morning, baby girl? I was a little bit worried about you last night… but you seem a little bit better this morning. Ya okay?".

But Beth didn't respond. She looked at Daryl though, directly into his eyes, but she didn't speak a word or give any other indication of an answer.

"Beth?" Daryl asked, trying to prod her into saying something. He would have settled for anything in that moment. He kept rubbing her arm lovingly, hoping that the physical contact may somehow spur her to speak. But nothing came.

"I've got to go to work" Daryl said, exaggerating his words. He didn't think it was necessary – Beth was looking right at him, and while she didn't respond, her eyes had almost returned to their normal state, which Daryl could only feel hopeful about. She had a long way to go, still, it seemed, but he hoped she was on her way to healing from what had happened the day before.

"I'll be back in 2 or 3 hours to check on you, okay?" Daryl told Beth, still waiting for some acknowledgement from Beth. When none came, he turned and quickly moved to the kitchen, getting Beth's phone and taking it back in to the living room, sitting it on the arm rest of the couch next to Beth.

"You make sure to eat this breakfast… You need to make sure to eat" Daryl said. "And here's your phone. You call me if you need anything… or even if you don't and you just want to. I can be here in 10 minutes, okay?" Daryl stared straight into Beth's eyes, and she stared right back. Daryl swore that he saw her nod her head very slightly, but he wasn't sure if he just imagined it because he was so desperate for a response.

"See you soon" Daryl emphasized. And he squeezed Beth's arm, stood up, and headed for the door.

* * *

><p>Over the next few days, Daryl fell into a routine of juggling work and taking care of Beth. He wasn't nearly as fretful about her now as he had been that first night, but she still hadn't spoken, and still spent most of her time parked on the couch. She had, on just a handful of occasions, nodded her head to indicate "yes" or "no" but other than that, Daryl's conversations with her were one-sided. He kept talking to her though, feeling like it was important to try to make things as normal as possible, even in the midst of this situation with wasn't very "normal" at all. He had even told her about his conversation with Zach, although he'd left out some of it – he wanted her to know that he knew the reason for her breakdown, but didn't want to worry her with thoughts of Zach. Daryl was growing increasingly frustrated at Beth's unwillingness to speak, but tried to be patient with her, knowing that she was hurting and that she was stuck in a dark place deep inside herself. Somehow, Daryl believed that he could pull her through this and out of that dark place – and every day she seemed to take a small baby step towards recovery.<p>

Zach had texted Beth to tell her that she could take as much time off work as she needed to. Daryl had ended up texting back with him, not wanting Beth to have to be in communication with him just yet, and unsure if she even wanted to try texting with someone yet. He wasn't sure that Zach could understand what Beth was going through, but he was glad that he at least agreed not to put her back onto the lifeguarding schedule until Beth requested it. He'd also let Daryl know that an investigation had been initiated related to the incident on the beach that Monday that had resulted in the little girl's death, but that these types of investigations were routine in those situations. Zach had tried to assure Daryl that he had no expectations that Beth would be found at fault for anything that happened. Daryl did wonder, though, whether Zach would be honest about his part in the situation – although he knew it wasn't his place to intervene in the investigation, he somehow wished he could make it known that Zach had contributed to the circumstances of the accident.

Daryl had also texted a bit with Beth's sister Maggie, who had been worried about Beth. Apparently, during the week that Daryl had stayed with Beth, Maggie hadn't heard from Beth. And while he knew it wasn't necessarily right for him to pretend to be Beth in conversations with her sister, he didn't feel like he could tell her who he was and why he was the one responding. He didn't think it was his place to tell Beth's sister about the incident on the beach. But he also had no idea how to explain to Maggie, or anyone else for that matter, why he was staying there with Beth, and what their relationship with each other really was.

Daryl had talked to Tyreese on Tuesday morning and he had been very willing to give Daryl the flexibility he needed, as long as it didn't negatively impact the progress of the work that he was supervising. He'd been unsure what to tell Tyreese at first – how would he explain his complicated relationship with Beth and his apparent need to be there to help her through this bad situation? Eventually he'd just told Tyreese that Beth was his girlfriend – he knew she technically wasn't, but he felt like that was the best way to describe things. He couldn't get it out of his mind that they had blown passed being "just friends" and he didn't know how they'd ever return to that. For Daryl, this entire situation with Beth had reaffirmed to him that he had growing feelings for Beth, ones that he could no longer try to ignore. And although he couldn't really explore things with her currently, he had a lot of hope in what would happen between them in the future. But first, he thought to himself, he'd have to get Beth out of the dark place that she was currently in.

Daryl also talked with his work crew about the situation and he'd talked to one of his more experienced and reliable workers about stepping in to supervise when Daryl needed to step away for a while to check on Beth. And with the support of Tyreese and his work crew, Daryl felt more at ease about the strange schedule that he'd created, where he worked all day, but left the crew two or three times a day to go to Beth's for a few minutes to check on her.

When Daryl came home to check on Beth during the day, he always made a quick stop on the way to get little things she liked – ice cream and other sweets, Cokes, new magazines, and DVDs from Redbox. He was fearful that the Redbox might soon run out of movies that Beth hadn't seen – she seemed to love watching them during the day while Daryl was gone. After a couple of days he'd also branched into buying her other little treats, like nail polish. It seemed strange to him to buy those types of things – he'd never been inclined to do things like this before – but he had this deep desire to make her happy and he was desperate to do whatever he could to put a smile on her face. He also stopped every night on his way home to get them food for dinner, making sure to get something for Beth that he knew she loved. And although she continued to struggle to cope with her emotions, her appetite had certainly not suffered. At first Daryl worried that he was enabling her to be unhealthy – all the sweets and candy, Cokes, and fatty foods weren't exactly the best for anyone. But Daryl knew all too well that some people deal with their emotions through eating, and although he knew it wasn't the best thing in the world, he couldn't deny her something that she seemed to enjoy so much, maybe the only thing she truly enjoyed at that point. She also only weighed about 100 pounds, Daryl reasoned, so a week of eating a lot of unhealthy food probably wouldn't matter too much.

Every night, Daryl sat with Beth on the couch, although he kept to the opposite side of the one that she'd become so fond of, making sure not to crowd her. And every night after they ate, they watched TV together. During the commercials he would talk to her, about the shows, about his day, about things in the news, or anything else that came to mind. And sometimes he'd tell her stories from his past. And often he'd turn off the TV and he'd read out loud to her. He had learned from looking around the house that Beth had a lot of books and so, had assumed that she really liked to read; and in those late night hours when Daryl read to her, he thought she seemed the most at peace. He also felt closest to her in those moments – and he couldn't help but think that this must be what it felt like to have settled down with someone, doing simple everyday things together like reading on the couch.

Daryl found it relatively easy to care for Beth – he was surprised how naturally it came to him, especially since he'd never really done many of these types of things for anyone before. But he found that he wanted to do things for Beth, and he couldn't fully explain to himself why, although he easily recognized that his affections seemed to grow for her more every day. Every night, he'd run her a bath and while she was bathing, he'd lay fresh clothes out for her. He'd done their laundry, gone on a brief run to the grocery store, and even done some light cleaning at the house. And he'd gotten so used to bringing her all her meals that he started to consider what it would be like when everything was better and she was doing those things for herself again. He wanted her to get better and that was his top priority – but he also secretly liked that she was dependent on him, and that he was the one here with her helping her, in almost every possible way.

Daryl had also been staying at Beth's at night. He wasn't sure it was totally necessary, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her alone for that long quite yet. It was hard enough for him to go to work and leave her for 2 or 3 hours at a time, but an entire night would be out of the question in his mind. At least right now. He had gone by his apartment only twice since Monday night, both times for just the few brief minutes he needed to get a few changes of clothes and other necessities. On Thursday night, after Beth had slept on the couch for the three previous nights, she'd finally gone to her room to sleep. Daryl had been very uncertain about what to do – his gut reaction was to follow her, but he also didn't want to make himself an annoyance. He eventually decided to sleep in the room right next to Beth's – he hoped it would be far enough away to give her the space she needed, but close enough to hear her in the middle of the night. While she hadn't woken up screaming on Monday night, she had the two proceeding nights – and she didn't need to tell Daryl why, he already knew. Each time it happened Daryl had gotten to her quickly, pulling her into his arms and soothing her back to sleep. So even though she was now sleeping in her own room, Daryl wanted to be able to get to her hurriedly when those moments eventually came.

* * *

><p>On Friday afternoon, Daryl was excited for the weekend. Running back and forth between work and Beth's over the last few days had exhausted him, although more so emotionally and mentally than physically, and he was hoping for a little bit of rest over the weekend. He was also determined that he was going to get Beth out of the house by Sunday, even if all they did was take a drive in his truck. He almost felt desperate to get her out of the house – he thought some sunlight would do her a world of good and Beth had told him many times how much she loved being outdoors. He knew he couldn't take her to the beach, but maybe she'd be willing to go to a nearby park and take a walk. He hoped that she'd let him take the lead.<p>

Throughout the week, Beth had seemed content to let Daryl take the lead on making decisions, never showing a hint of hesitation or dissatisfaction in anything. Daryl picked out her clothes, planned her meals, and set her schedule. He had been very guarded in regard to his actions towards her though, probably over thinking every little thing he did and said. Still, he had occasionally slipped up and done something he immediately thought he shouldn't have, like letting his hand linger too long on Beth's arm or hand, or calling her "baby". He knew those weren't the worst things in the world, and Beth hadn't shown any sign of irritation at him in those moments, but he'd still felt that he needed to give her as much space as possible, even if those things came so naturally to him that he often didn't realize he was doing them until after he already had.

On Friday night, as Beth and Daryl shared a pizza and some red wine, Daryl boldly told Beth about his plans for the weekend.

"Beth? Baby… we gotta get you out of this house this weekend, okay?" Daryl said, again emphasizing his words as he'd commonly started to do when talking to her.

To Daryl's surprise, Beth looked up at him quickly in response to his words. She met his eyes, but then looked back down into her lap quickly. And after a moment had passed, she nodded her head slightly, indicating that she agreed with Daryl.

"You know how we talked before about me taking you fishing sometime? Well… I was thinking this would be a good time, don't you? I was thinking on Sunday we could go over to Jarvis Creek Park….?" Daryl said tentatively. He was pleased that Beth had seemed open to the idea of going somewhere outside of the house, but wasn't sure how she'd feel about fishing, although he'd hoped she'd want to do it. Beth had told during one of their nightly conversations over the days he'd stayed with her that she'd loved fishing with her brother as a child, but that she hadn't done it in a long time. Daryl promised her then that he would take her sometime – he even had two fishing rods and lots of lures that they could both use. Daryl had learned to fish at an early age, just like he'd learned how to hunt – but unlike many boys his age, he'd learned for an entirely different reason. Daryl fished and hunted for food, not for recreation, although as he'd gotten older he'd found that he found more and more enjoyment in it.

"Beth? What do you think?" Daryl asked again. All of a sudden he was desperate for her to respond.

But she didn't, Daryl had come to expect. But it was increasingly frustrating, Daryl thought, how she so selectively communicated with him now – nodding or shaking her head occasionally, but seemingly only at random times. At times he wanted to shake her, and try to force her to talk to him, but he knew he couldn't. But every day that passed with Beth not speaking only served to make Daryl more and more frustrated. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go on that way – being the only one that ever said a word was difficult for Daryl.

"Beth, baby, you've got to talk to me!" Daryl said, a little more forcefully than he should have.

Beth only looked up at him again – this time, though, her eyes had gained that wild look again, the look he'd seen only a few fleeting times in the last few days.

"Shit… I'm sorry, baby girl, I didn't meant it that way... I… uh… Damn it, I keep calling you that and I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't... that I need to stop. But… I just…" Daryl apologized. He'd called Beth "baby" more and more over the last few days and he'd told himself not to do it again every time, only to keep doing it. It always seemed to slide right out of his mouth before he realized it. He couldn't help but think in that moment that Beth's wild-eyed expression had something to do with that. He wanted to explain to her that it just came too naturally to him, but he didn't get the chance before he heard her hoarse, weak voice finally filling his ears for the first time since he'd stormed out of her house the previous Friday night.

"No… Don't stop… I like it".


	18. Chapter 18

At first, Daryl wasn't sure that he'd heard Beth correctly. Her voice was so slight, so soft, and a bit hoarse, probably from lack of use. Daryl just sat there for a moment, thinking about what Beth had said, playing it back over and over in his mind.

'_No… Don't stop… I like it"._

Before he realized what he was doing, he was scooting closer to Beth on the couch. He took her hands in his, very tentatively at first, and tried to make sure he had her full attention.

"You do? You like it?" Daryl asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Beth didn't speak, but for the first time in several days, a tiny smile formed, just around the corners of her mouth. And she nodded, looking straight at Daryl. And he felt his heart surge, almost feeling like it was flip flopping in his chest. What should he do, he wondered? What did this mean? Does Beth have feelings for me too, he questioned? He decided he couldn't over think it; but he desperately wanted to be close to her now. He'd really limited his proximity to her over the last few days and he wanted to be closer, wanted to hold her, provide her a physical reminder that he was there for her and that he would help her through this hard time she was having.

"Come here" Daryl said, and started to gently pull Beth towards his end of the couch. She came willingly, crawling across the couch towards the spot on the end that he'd slid back into. He had his back against the side where the armrest was and his right leg up against the couch's back. He helped settle Beth in, her back pressing up against his chest, the lower half of her body resting in between his legs. Daryl felt like he was holding his breath, unsure that this was really happening and that he was actually able to be this close to her. While Daryl was still a bit frozen in place, unsure of what to do, or how close he could really get, Beth took his hands, putting hers over the tops of his and linking her fingers through, then pulling his arms tightly around her waist.

Daryl wasn't surprised when he felt a smile spread across his face. This wasn't like those times that he'd held her in the middle of the night, when she'd woken up screaming and crying. There was no immediate need from her now, other than just to be close to him. And he nuzzled the side of his face into her hair, wanting to close as much space between them – and Daryl hoped in that moment that they could stay like this for a very long time.

He knew Beth wasn't all of a sudden "better", but she was still taking those small baby steps that she had been all week, and, for him, speaking, and then smiling, had been two large milestones. He could tell that she wasn't over her quietness, but hopefully as time went on he'd hear that sweet voice more and more. And he'd be patient, he told himself – just those few words that she'd just spoken had renewed his ability to wait for her, however long it took.

"Want to watch a movie? We can see if there is anything good to watch On Demand?" Daryl asked Beth. He wasn't sure if she'd respond, but wanted to ask anyway.

Beth didn't speak, but nodded her head affirmatively. She sat up quickly, breaking the contact she'd had with Daryl and he instantly hated her absence. But she only grabbed the TV remote and sat back against Daryl quickly, returning to the spot that she'd originally been in. She tried to hand the remote over her shoulder to Daryl, but he pushed her arm back down toward her lap.

"You choose… I always choose" Daryl said, speaking sweetly into Beth's ear. She turned her head slightly, just so she could see him out of the corner of her eye, and Daryl could see the small smile on her face again, which made him smile in return. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her a little closer with a squeeze and kissing her temple lightly and then resting his forehead against the side of her head. He wanted to savor this moment – he'd longed for it for too long now, and he had a somewhat irrational fear of something happening to end it prematurely. He was still trying to be guarded with his actions towards her, not knowing what she wanted or intended from him, and not wanting to move too quickly, although he wasn't sure whether he was doing well with that. Daryl was afraid that if Beth gave him an inch, he'd probably try to take a mile, and he knew he needed to fight that as much as possible. He'd pushed her away once, by trying to do too much too quickly, and he wouldn't do that again. And as good as he felt about things right now, about Beth's progress and about her wanting to be physically close to him, he knew that she had a ways to go and that it may take a lot longer than he'd originally thought to move passed what had happened earlier in the week.

Beth surfed through the On Demand movies for a while, but finally settled on the screen for I, Frankenstein. Daryl had actually wanted to see that movie, but never imagined that Beth would. His understanding of it was that it was a bit sci-fi, and maybe a bit freaky – and he couldn't imagine Beth liking movies like that. All week he'd rented movies for her to watch while he was away from home, but they'd all been comedies, romances, and dramas. She'd seemed to like them all, but he'd never stopped to think that maybe she'd like a different kind of movie, with action and mystery, or even a bit of horror.

"You sure that's what you want to watch?" he asked Beth. She nodded quickly in response.

"Okay, then…" Daryl said, still a little uncertain about the choice. But he didn't want to question Beth – he'd been making choices for her all week, and he wanted her to be able to decide something on her own. If this was the movie she wanted, Daryl would go along with it.

Beth used to remote to order the movie. Before she pushed the button to start it though, she paused, and then got up off of the couch. Daryl was a bit unsure about what she was doing and she said nothing – but he watched her take their wine glasses into the kitchen and refill them. She turned off the light in the kitchen before returning to the living room, putting the glasses down on the coffee table, and then moving across the room to turn off the two lamps that Daryl had turned on earlier. She and Daryl were all of a sudden surrounded by, with the only illumination in the room coming from the TV and the moon shining in through a nearby window.

She hurried back over to Daryl and settled back into her place against him, pulling that big brown blanket, that she'd used almost constantly over the last few days, up and over both of them. She looked back at Daryl tentatively and he nodded to her and she started the movie.

And Daryl was struck with how normal this all felt with Beth – enjoying a movie together on a Friday night, cuddled up under a blanket on the couch, with some glasses of wine. He could get used to this, he thought.

* * *

><p>The weekend seemed to go by quickly, at least for Daryl. Saturday had been a quiet day at home, which he'd was happy with, especially since he'd planned to try to get Beth out of the house on Sunday. Beth still wasn't speaking much, but she was still communicating with Daryl – and it struck him how good she was at communicating with him nonverbally, that overall they'd connected on some type of level where often words weren't really necessary. She had, though, spoken a few times throughout the day, always saying just a few words, but it was enough for Daryl to feel better and better about her progress, and to feel like she was out of the woods now and well on her way back to normalcy.<p>

On Saturday night when Daryl brought up his Sunday plans to Beth, she'd agreed to go on his little fishing expedition. On Sunday morning, Daryl woke up much later than usual, but could hear that Beth was already up and downstairs. Once he got to the stairs he smelled the telltale scents of breakfast and also heard Beth quietly humming a song. His heart felt full at hearing her – he couldn't help but think it was a good sign that her mood had turned and that she had woken up this morning feeling positively about the day. Once he got to the kitchen he was surprised to see that Beth must have been busying herself with cooking for some time. She'd baked blueberry muffins, fried bacon, and made French toast, which she knew was Daryl's favorite. She'd also made coffee and poured them both some orange juice and set the table in the actual dining room, where Daryl had never actually eaten before. When he walked into the kitchen, he noticed that she was beating some milk into a bowl of eggs.

"Morning, baby girl" Daryl said a little groggily, coming up behind Beth and wrapping his arms around Beth's waist from behind. He kissed her temple lightly, gently nuzzling his face against the side of her's. She turned her head, just slightly, and smiled, never stopping the work she was doing. But Daryl heard a little contented sigh escape her throat and nothing could have been better in that moment – he knew that he was exactly where he wanted to be and it seemed that Beth was too.

He'd become more comfortable with doing things like this ever since they'd first cuddled on the couch on Friday night. Things had changed for them in that moment, and although Daryl didn't know exactly what it meant, he went along with it gladly. Everything that had happened between them so far was very innocent, only hugs and sweet touches and cuddling. There hadn't even been any kissing – but Daryl was content to take things very slowly with Beth, knowing that plan was for the best, especially after what had happened between them before, and in light of Beth's recent trauma. Daryl couldn't explain it, but being like this with Beth, especially in these simple, easy, and everyday things, made him feel so comfortable, so at home. And he couldn't help but think that he'd never felt so comfortable or content with anyone before.

He knew his feelings seemed a bit out of bounds, knew that he'd only known Beth for two weeks and that it seemed absolutely insane for him to feel the way he did. He'd been in plenty of relationships before, but knew that what he had with Beth was something else entirely. It occurred to him that in all of his previous relationships there had always been one party that was much more involved than the other, much needier or much more committed. And, of course now, in hindsight, he knew that had definitely been the case with Andrea – that he'd been that one that was much more attached to the relationship than she was. But he didn't see things between he and Beth that way – in fact, he recognized that they'd both been equally needy with one another. While their friendship had begun because of his need, it had been strengthened and potentially changed forever through her's. They'd both been in very dark and vulnerable places, and the other had been there to provide a light out of the darkness, a hand to hold them up when they weren't strong enough to do so themselves.

Daryl was still working on pulling Beth out of her own darkness – but the progress that she'd made over the last week had made him optimistic. And he had no doubt that they would get there, that he could love her through this, and anything else, for that matter. Still, she hadn't talked to him about what happened, although Daryl had spoken to her about it several times. He knew she had to come around to talking about it on her own, but he also knew she couldn't get to a place of full healing without making that last step. He didn't want to push her, but struggled to find a balance in knowing what to do to help her through this nightmare.

Beth and Daryl enjoyed their breakfast together and then agreed to get ready for their fishing trip. Daryl felt nervous about the trip, hoping that it would be a positive thing for Beth, not wanting anything to happen that would derail the progress she'd just made. He'd smiled the biggest he had in quite a while when he met Beth downstairs and saw that she was dressed in a cute, but casual outfit, and that she'd actually fixed her hair and even put on a tiny bit of makeup.

His concerns about their trip had been unfounded, he'd realized, as they drove home at the end of the day. Beth had seemed to have a wonderful time fishing, gradually becoming a little more talkative as the day wore on. Daryl had planned for them to leave much earlier in the afternoon, but Beth had wanted to stay, and so, they'd stayed until it was almost dark. With a bucket full of fish in the back of his truck, they headed back home – Daryl had promised to fry some of the fish they'd caught for their dinner tonight. He'd never been much of a cook, but he was really good at frying fish and Beth had gotten excited when he'd suggested it. She was quiet on the way home, but had a small smile on her face – she was holding onto Daryl's hand across the seat and seemed content to look out of the passenger side window during the drive.

After they'd showered and changed they'd had a nice dinner, enjoying the fish and some homemade chips that Beth taught Daryl how to make in the oven. After working together to clean up the kitchen, Beth led Daryl to the couch in the living room, their now normal after-dinner spot.

"Wanna watch something? A movie?" Beth asked, almost seeming shy all of a sudden.

"It's getting late, baby girl… By the time we've watched a movie, it'll be after midnight. I gotta get up early for work…" Daryl said. He didn't want to tell her no, though. And he couldn't take the sad expression that was now spreading across Beth's face.

"Okay…" Beth said, pouting a little. "I might stay up and watch something, though…"

"How about I stay up a little bit too?" Daryl asked. He couldn't stand thinking that he'd traded in time with Beth for sleep, even if he'd regret it tomorrow.

"Yeah" Beth said nodding, a smile forming across her face. He could have sworn in that moment that she knew that he was just putty in her hands.

"Just a little bit though, okay?" Daryl said, trying to clarify. He knew he was lying to himself though. He wanted to be close to Beth and he would stay up all night with her if she wanted to. They didn't sleep in the same room, and he was okay with that, but because of that he knew he had to soak up all of these late night moments of being close to her.

Beth shook her head at him excitedly, and took what had become, over the last couple of nights, her usual place on the couch, sitting in between Daryl's legs with her back against his chest. She quickly chose a romantic comedy that she'd DVRed, but Daryl wasn't paying much attention – it seemed like the same generic story that he'd watched 200 times before, and his mind was occupied just thinking about Beth, wanting to soak up these moments with her.

Daryl's mind swirled around the weekend, and how things had changed so drastically with him and Beth. This was the third night they'd spent curled up together on the couch and he thought he could die happy if he did this every single night for the rest of his life. As he felt Beth mindlessly rubbing the outside of his elbow, he thought that Beth had some kind of strange hold on him and he desperately hoped that she'd never let go. He was in deep, now, he thought – and yet, their physical relationship was still at a very early stage. He was content with that, he told himself, content to not make the same mistakes he'd made before, the same mistakes that he'd almost made with Beth before. No, now, he thought, he'd do right by her and treat her the way she deserved.


	19. Chapter 19

**Two and a half weeks later**

The days seemed to move by more and more easily for Beth. She knew she'd been in a dark place for a while, and although she didn't quite feel that she had gotten all the way out of it, she knew she was getting closer and closer to feeling normal again.

The first few days after the incident on the beach she'd been in a mental and emotional fog like she'd never experienced. She couldn't stop reliving what had happened over and over again. It even followed her into her dreams. She could now remember very little from those few days, other than a few bits and pieces, most of them including something Daryl had done or said. She'd withdrawn to a place inside of herself that she didn't know existed, and she'd felt lost and alone, scared and a bit hopeless.

And she still had some of those feelings, although they came now only in fleeting moments and they no longer consumed every part of her as much as it had at first. And she still often woke up in the middle of the night, having dreamed about the drowning incident. She couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she could have done something differently to save that little girl. Everyone told her that what happened wasn't her fault – the girl was out of her range of responsibility and for some reason, which Beth still wasn't sure about, the other lifeguard, Kelsey, hadn't been at her station to help. It had taken Beth a long time just to get to the little girl and she remembered all too vividly that feeling of fear that she'd had once she'd seen and felt her limp little body. She could tell it was too late and it was the worst feeling Beth ever experienced.

Beth also couldn't shake the memories of the little girl's family – her mother, father, and older sister. The older sister was dressed in the same bathing suit as her sister was and they looked so similar to one another that, other than the size difference, they could have been mistaken as twins. And while the girl's mother had been unbelievably hysterical, crying and screaming, the father was stoic, appearing to be in some sort of shock. In those moments, Beth had wondered why he had that type of reaction; but now, she understood it all too well. It had happened to her too, and in the following days she found that she couldn't draw herself out of her own mind enough to speak or react or do much of anything.

If she was honest, she couldn't even remember what had happened between leaving the beach and getting back to her house. The first thing she remembered was standing in front of Daryl in her bedroom, naked, after he'd barged into her room after she'd bathed. He'd told her later that he'd just randomly run into her in the checkout line at Walmart – but she had no recollection of that at all, or of the drive home with Daryl or the bath that she'd taken. Those first few days she'd felt like she was in some sort of heavy fog – only able to focus on her feelings and her memories of the drowning. She remembered Daryl talking to her, but she'd never been able to bring herself to say anything in response. Not until that Friday night when he'd started to beat himself up about what he'd been calling her all week – "baby" – and she couldn't let him get upset about it, or stop, because it was one of the things that had seemed to pull her out of the darkness, hearing those little terms of endearment coming out of his mouth day after day.

Daryl. He had been her rock through all of this. And she knew she didn't deserve his faithfulness to her – she hadn't been fair to him before, that Friday night that they'd been together and things had gone too far, which now seemed like ages ago. She'd chased him away, and in the days after she wasn't sure she'd ever even see him again. And she was sure that if she did, things would never been the same. She hadn't been sure there was any coming back from what had happened between them – and those thoughts had preoccupied her mind that weekend. She knew now that her reaction to him hadn't been reflected in what she'd said – that _'it was a mistake'_. Instead, her feelings had been strong for Daryl, and to her, so unexplainable given their short relationship. She hadn't been able to explain to herself what had happened that night other than to feel true fear in the moment – but not fear that she was making a mistake, fear that she was ruining something truly good that had come into her life. She'd realized that Daryl wasn't just some guy to fool around with and she'd felt desperate to make sure what happened between them didn't scar any chance they had to have a real and functional relationship, even if they weren't ready for it then.

And then, she hadn't been ready. And she knew Daryl definitely wasn't – he'd been very clear about that. And that made sense, she'd thought, at least in her head – after all, they'd only known each of for a week, she'd reminded herself over and over. But, her heart wasn't so sure that mattered; her heart told her that she and Daryl had something special, something maybe she hadn't ever had before. But she didn't want to rush it, knew it was truly a mistake to do that.

But now, she couldn't help but think that everything had changed. Daryl had been there for her in a way that she never could've imagined – he'd pulled her out of such a dark place, being more patient and understanding than she imagined anyone could ever be. He'd sat with her and listened to her calmly when she'd finally decided to talk to him about what happened on the beach. And after that, she'd felt a weight lifted from her like she'd never felt before – like sharing that with him had helped her deal with some of the worst of her demons. She couldn't help but translate that into something much more, much more than just a friendly notion he had to help her.

Over the last couple of weeks, they'd grown closer and closer. She and Daryl had a routine now that she couldn't help but love. They ate breakfast together every morning – Beth didn't have to be up that early, she hadn't returned to work yet, and wasn't quite sure she wanted to, at least to the lifeguarding job. But she loved starting her day with Daryl – she'd missed it during the few days when he'd been gone from her house and she couldn't help but love that he was there again, staying with her. After that first week after the incident, Daryl had felt that Beth progressed enough to leave her at home mostly alone during the day – but he still came home at lunchtime every day and ate lunch with her. And she looked forward to him coming home at night, and since she had so much free time, she'd starting cooking dinner for them every night. During the days she did all the little things she needed to do to keep the household running and she realized that she'd found much more happiness in doing those little tasks than ever before, and she couldn't help but think it had something to do with Daryl. She loved washing his clothes, cleaning up the room and bathroom that had now become his, and buying their groceries and planning out meals.

Beth's favorite time of the day though was after dinner. They spent that time together every night, snuggled together on the couch, watching TV or movies, or with one of them reading out loud to the other one. This had started during the week of the incident – Daryl had stayed with her, not letting her stray too far from him, and doing whatever he could to help her find her way out of her gloom. And she found that she loved that time with him then, and didn't ever want to stop doing that – and while she couldn't be completely sure, she thought he felt the same.

Daryl had asked her several times about whether he should go back to his apartment – she could tell that he saw her improvement as a cue for him to go back there, to give her back her own space. She could tell he was a bit insecure about his presence there, feeling that maybe he didn't really belong there with her. But she'd kept him there, kept asking him to stay, at least for a few more days – and he had done as she'd asked. Deep down Beth knew that he wouldn't deny her this, or anything else for that matter. And she used that to keep him there because she liked it, she liked the routine they'd created, their little life that seemed so sweet, so exciting, yet so familiar.

Things between them physically had remained very restrained, though, and while Beth was glad that they were taking things slowly now, she couldn't help but crave more. She knew what it was like to kiss Daryl, knew what his hands felt like against her skin, and she wanted to feel that again. She could tell he was being purposefully guarded, wanting to protect her against what had happened between them before. So she let things progress the way Daryl directed them, even if at times it seemed painfully slow. She tried to focus on enjoying what she had with him, his sweet touches and cuddles never far away. But sometimes, she couldn't help but want more – like the nights that she laid in his lap on the couch while he rubbed her back under her sweatshirt. She inevitably would find her mind wandering, wishing Daryl would move his hand around her side and onto her bra-less breast.

Beth also couldn't bring herself to ask Daryl about their relationship. It was clear now that they were no longer just friends, and that neither of them intended that any longer. No, they'd blown passed that some time ago. But what were they exactly? Beth couldn't help but think they were in some strange in-between place that neither one of them knew how to define. And that place of limbo wasn't where Beth wanted to be – she wanted to be with Daryl, and she'd never been more certain. She just needed to figure out how to let him know, how to show him that she wasn't made out of glass, and that he didn't have to be so afraid of taking things further with her. She had to figure that out soon, she thought, before she did something extreme.

* * *

><p>Beth woke up in a good mood and excited about the weekend ahead. It was Friday, July 4th and she was excited for the long weekend that she and Daryl would have together. She'd always loved Independence day, even since she was a child – the cookouts, family time, games, and fireworks made her feel sentimental somehow. And she also loved the greater celebration of their nation and the freedoms that they had. She looked forward to the day's events – she and Daryl had plans to go to a cookout today before going to watch the fireworks.<p>

Daryl had seemed excited about the holiday too – but he'd also seemed a tiny bit apprehensive about going to her friend's cookout. Many of the friends that would be there would be her college friends, a few of them being those that Daryl met several weeks ago when they'd gone out in Bluffton. That night, when Beth had played the part of Daryl's girlfriend, she'd assumed that she'd have to tell her girlfriends that it'd all been a rouse. But she never had – the couple of days afterwards had been difficult for her, because of what happened with Daryl, and she hadn't answered her phone calls or texts from them. And then the drowning had happened and she'd cut herself off totally from everyone – everyone except for Daryl, that is. She had talked to a couple of her friends in the last couple of weeks, but, by then, she didn't know how to explain things with Daryl – so, again, she'd kept things vague, just like she had before, telling them that things were new between them but that she was really happy.

She'd told Daryl just to act like himself around her friends, and not to worry too much about what they thought. But Daryl had avoided the bigger issue when talking to her about it, and she supposed now that she'd been too scared to say anything to him about it, just letting it loom in the air – what exactly was their relationship with one another? Were they together? He called her "baby" with increasing frequency now and she reasoned that had to mean something – although she thought about guy friends that she'd had in the past that just used terms like that just to be cute or flirtatious. She just couldn't imagine that was the case with Daryl, though.

When she emerged from her room, Daryl's door was still closed, so she passed by it quickly, thinking that she'd go downstairs and surprise him with a big breakfast. She knew he loved breakfast food and during the week he only had time to eat a quick one of cereal or oatmeal and fruit. She busied herself with preparations for blueberry pancakes, bacon, eggs, and Daryl's favorite, grits. She lost herself in her work and before she knew it, Daryl had snuck in behind her, like he did on so many occasions lately, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her backwards towards him.

They ate their breakfast and chatted casually about the day ahead and their plans. Beth had agreed to bring a couple of dishes and told Daryl that she'd planned to make them after breakfast, then shower and get ready to go. He agreed with her timeline, telling her that those plans would also give him time to change the oil in his truck and her car – one of the many things that Daryl had told Beth that he preferred to do himself. Beth was so glad when Daryl had offered to change the oil in her car for her – she wasn't working, which meant her lifeguarding income wasn't there. And although she had a lot of money saved, every little bit that she could save helped. She also silently found a thrill in how handy Daryl was – he was a real man, Beth thought, and she loved that about him. She loved a lot of things about him, she'd realized more and more over the last few weeks.

Around 1 p.m., Beth and Daryl met downstairs, both dressed and ready to go to the cookout. Her friend, Bob, who was hosting the party also had a large pool, and so Beth and Daryl both packed their suits and some towels, along with sunscreen, which Beth had insisted on taking. They loaded up Daryl's truck, which he'd insisted on driving, and headed off for the cookout.

The party had a great turn out, more than Beth had initially expected, and she'd had fun catching up with some of her friends that she hadn't seen since school had ended in May. Daryl stuck by her fairly closely, but she didn't mind – while she'd never liked guys to hover around her in the past, something about Daryl was different. She did notice though, that he seemed even more guarded than normal about touching her. He stayed just close enough to make his presence known to others, but avoided those little displays of affection that had been increasingly common when they were together at home. Beth tried to reassure him silently, by holding his hand, or even sitting down in his lap. And over time, he seemed to loosen up a bit, talking to others more and more, and becoming a bit more natural with his actions.

About 4 o'clock everyone had agreed to go swimming and Beth and Daryl both changed into their suits quickly. Daryl was already in the pool when Beth came out – and when he turned to see her, she saw his mouth visibly drop. Secretly she'd hoped to get that kind of reaction. Sure, Daryl had seen her in a bathing suit before, but it was her red lifeguarding one-piece, nothing like the tiny bikinis that she normally wore when she had her choice. And she'd chosen one of her tiniest ones to wear today, hoping to get as much attention from Daryl as possible.

She got into the pool, moving towards where Daryl stood, talking to a couple of other guys. But he seemed like he couldn't get to her fast enough, moving quickly towards her and wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his hands just at the top of her butt.

"Hey you" Beth said. She was trying to be flirtatious, feeling a little bolder than usual.

"Hey yourself" Daryl responded. He was still raking his eyes over her, taking in every inch of skin that was exposed on her thin, tan body.

"You like what you see?" Beth asked, a little more uncertainty in her voice than she'd anticipated. She wasn't the type of girl to say things like that – but things with Daryl made her want to be bold. She wanted him to want her, to want her the same way she wanted him.

"God, Beth…" Daryl started to say. "That's an understatement. I… uh… I'm not sure I want all these college guys ogling over you wearing that".

Beth put her arms around Daryl's neck and stood up on her tip toes, pulling his face a little closer to her own. She didn't know where her confidence was coming from, but she was going to go with it. She wanted to Daryl to know how much she cared for him – that he was the only guy that she was interested in. The last couple of weeks had been wonderful – but they'd been filled with a type of tension that Beth couldn't quite explain. She wanted to end that now, though, didn't want either of them to have a question about what they meant to the other.

"You don't worry about them. The only guy I care about ogling me is you" she said, a bit smile on her face. She hoped Daryl would understand what she meant.

"Yeah?" he asked, seeming a bit uncertain.

"Yeah" she responded with certainty. She was looking straight into Daryl's eyes now, wishing she could see into his soul. And she could have sworn that maybe he could see into hers at that very moment because he slowly closed the distance between them and brought his lips down onto hers. And he didn't seem tentative or shy at all anymore; instead he seemed like someone that knew exactly what he wanted. As he deepened their kiss, Beth forgot about where they were, forgot that there were so many others so close by, surely watching this exchange between them. And so, when Daryl moved his hands down, cupping his hands around her backside and using that leverage to lift her up, she didn't hesitate letting her legs wrap tightly around Daryl's waist.

In that moment, the only fireworks Beth cared about were the ones happening between her and Daryl.


	20. Chapter 20

Daryl wasn't sure how much time had passed, and how long he'd been kissing Beth in the pool. Her body had just kind of melted into him and after that, he forgot where they were and that there were many others around.

Their comments brought him and Beth out of their steamy make out session, reminding them that they were surrounded by others. Others who were now letting them know just how sweltering they thought their kissing was. All of a sudden they were surrounded by hoots, along with a few friends who had some commentary to add.

"Get a room!" one girl commented.

"Get her Daryl!" one of the guys that Daryl had just been talking to said.

"Damn girl!" Beth's friend Sasha said, having wondered over to the edge of the pool after hearing others hooting and hollering over something that she couldn't quite see before.

Beth looked embarrassed and although Daryl wasn't, he didn't want to compromise her feelings or make her uncomfortable with this situation. These were her friends, after all, and Daryl was all of a sudden afraid that Beth would respond the same way she had several weeks ago when things had gotten physical between them that fated Friday night. He could still hear those words in his mind.

_'__It was a mistake'. _

Daryl couldn't say that those words didn't haunt him; he didn't think about them as much as he once did, but they still rattled through his brain from time to time, reminding him of Beth's uncertainty in moving too quickly into a physical relationship. That was why he'd held back for weeks now, allowing himself to hold her hands or cuddle with her, but not kissing her, and certainly not allowing things to go any further between them. If he was honest, he knew his hesitancy had everything to do with a fear of being rejected by Beth once again. He'd overcome it once, but he wasn't sure it would be possible a second time.

But was she doing that now? Daryl wasn't sure, and he couldn't truly gauge Beth's reaction. She was strangely silent, having put some distance between them and looking around at everyone, everyone but him. In some ways he understood Beth's reaction – he'd never been one for overt public displays of affection. He'd always felt uncomfortable around couples who were always all over each other. And he'd never been like that in a relationship before. But Beth made him feel differently. He wanted to be that way with her – wanted to wrap his arms around her, claim her, and let everyone around them know that she belonged to him. But they hadn't defined things between them, although her words to him in the pool had certainly gone a long way as far as he was concerned.

_'__Don't worry… the only guy I care about ogling me is you'. _

He couldn't help but smile thinking about it now – she'd seemed so sure, so certain about what she wanted. Did she still feel that way, he wondered? Or had he scared her away yet again? Was she just nervous about what had happened, uncertain of what it meant for them?

He knew what he had to do in that moment – he needed to reassure Beth, needed to let her know that he wanted her, and that the kiss hadn't just been a spur-of-the-moment thing. If she didn't want the same things that he did, he guessed he could handle it – but what he couldn't handle was her not knowing how he felt.

"Hey… Uh… Do you know if there's somewhere around here we can go and talk? You know… where there are less people around?" Daryl asked Beth. She'd had her back to him but he'd gone up behind her, just like he'd gotten so used to doing, putting his arms protectively around her waist and whispering into her ear.

He held his breath – he didn't know what to expect. Would she pull away? Would she nervously go along with him? He realized then how nervous he was, an emotion that he rarely experienced, and certainly not to this degree. But he wanted this, wanted Beth, more than almost anything he could remember before.

Beth turned her head, a bit shyly, and only enough that she could see Daryl out of the corner of her eye. And she nodded, sweetly taking his hand, and leading them out of the pool, ignoring all of the people still surrounding them, some still watching them. She led him out of the pool area, quickly stopping only to pick up their towels, and into a sunroom porch on the side of the house. Luckily, everyone else was outside eating, swimming, and hanging out, so the room was empty. Beth seemed to hesitate once there, though, not knowing where to sit or even how to really act. Daryl knew he needed to take the lead.

"Come here" he told her, pulling her hand towards him as he sat down on a wicker loveseat. He led her straight towards him, and Beth came willingly, sitting down on his lap, circling her arms around his neck. Her face was hard to read, but Daryl hoped that her willingness to sit so closely with him was a good sign.

"You okay, baby girl?" he asked tentatively. His heart was about to beat out of his chest and all he wanted to do was pull Beth closer, tell her that he was crazy about her, that he never wanted to let her go.

Beth just nodded slowly. She was looking straight into Daryl's eyes, but he still couldn't read her, didn't know what she was thinking.

"Beth… baby… talk to me. What is it? Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Tell me." Daryl pleaded. He couldn't take this. He needed to know that Beth was okay, and that they were okay. Until he knew that for sure, he felt like he was holding his breath and praying to the good Lord above that everything was alright between them.

"I'm sorry about that… in the pool. I… I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry" he continued, growing increasingly nervous.

Daryl's words made the corners of Beth's mouth tip up a bit in a tiny smile – and he realized then that he'd kind of been rambling, talking much more quickly than normal.

"I'm fine, Daryl" she said finally. One of her hands moved to his face and she started to run her thumb over his eyebrows, smoothing them down, Daryl assumed, although he couldn't see to be sure.

"Beth… I… um… Are you sure? You just seemed so quiet. Are you sure you're okay?" Daryl asked. He wasn't sold on the idea that Beth was really okay – and he needed to know for sure, needed to know that he hadn't done something to upset her, something that could push her away.

Beth's smile had grown now, and she moved her face down towards Daryl's, capturing his lips. This kiss was different than the last – it was slow and sweet, but very powerful in its own right. Beth was the first to pull away, a smug look on her face.

"Daryl… Listen… You can kiss me whenever you want, okay? Don't apologize for it." she asked.

Daryl felt so relieved in that moment that he started laughing. He put his forehead against Beth's, allowing himself to breathe now, letting the anxiety he'd been carrying about Beth for weeks now start to melt away.

"I'm crazy about you, you know" Daryl said, looking up at Beth.

"The feeling is mutual" she responded sweetly. "If you couldn't already tell…"

"Thank God" Daryl muttered, almost inaudibly. And with that, it was Beth's turn to laugh.

"Tell me what you want, baby. Tell me… and I'll try my best… for you. I just want you to be happy. I want to make you happy." Daryl said. He was desperate now, desperate to know what Beth wanted from their relationship, and to know what he could do for her. After seeing her struggle so badly recently he wanted to do whatever he could to make her happy.

Beth was quiet for a minute. She was just looking at Daryl, fingers brushing across the scruff on his chin, and that small smile still registering on her lips. It seemed like an eternity to Daryl, though – he was so anxious, needing to know what how she would respond. How did she things between them?

"Daryl…" Beth said softly, finally speaking. "I want you. That's it. Surely you've figured that out by now."

Another moment of silence passed between them before Daryl spoke.

"So… you… uh… you want to be with me? You'll be with me?" Daryl asked.

"Yes" Beth responded. "If you'll have me…"

Daryl knew the smile on his face must have been the goofiest thing Beth had ever seen. But he didn't care – she'd just told him she wanted to be with him and that was the best thing he could imagine hearing. And he was content to just sit there with her, holding onto her and kissing her. They didn't need words after that, they both seemed content in the silence that followed, just using their hands and their lips to show each other how they felt, how happy they were to finally be like this, have this together.

* * *

><p>Daryl and Beth headed home from the cookout earlier than they'd intended. After their conversation, neither was particularly interested in talking to anyone else, both caught up in the joy of just being together, kissing and cuddling. They finally agreed to go home and have a little time together before they went out to watch the fireworks.<p>

Beth initially planned to meet a bunch of friends at Harbour Town to watch the fireworks and enjoy the other festivities. And Daryl had recently been invited along for all the excitement. She had always loved July 4th and when her family used to come to Hilton Head in the summers, they almost always coincided their trip with July 4th. Going to the celebration at Harbour Town had become a tradition in their family and even after Beth had moved to the island for school, at least one member of her family had always been there to go with her to the festivities. This was the first year that no one had mentioned coming. Initially that had made Beth feel a bit sad; but now she was glad, knowing that she could spend the time with Daryl, giving him her undivided attention and creating new memories together.

On the way home from the cookout, Beth decided to ask Daryl if he'd want to change their plans – she wasn't feeling up to the huge crowd that would converge for the event and she also didn't want to deal with her friends, who would inevitably be prying her for information about Daryl.

"I'm not so sure about going to Harbour Town tonight… What do you think?" she asked. She didn't know how Daryl would respond to this, especially since she'd seemed excited about going to this for weeks now.

"Whatever you wanna do, baby" Daryl responded. He was sweetly holding her hand across the seat of the truck.

"I just… I don't wanna deal with the crowd. Or all the prying eyes and the questions. You know what I mean." Beth said.

"I do. And really… whatever you want. I just know how much you love going down there for the fireworks and stuff. I don't want you to miss that." Daryl responded.

"I know… Thanks. I just… I just wanna be with you right now. Not around a whole lot of noise and people." Beth said, a little bit self-consciously. She was confident in her and Daryl's relationship now, but it was so new and she didn't want to drive him away by being too needy.

"You do, huh?" Daryl said, teasing her.

"Stop!" Beth said, only half serious, pulling her hand from Daryl's and swatting at him playfully. She couldn't help but love how he was teasing her – things with them were so easy, they always had been.

"Baby, really…." Daryl said, grabbing Beth's hand again and bringing it up to his mouth to kiss it, before letting it fall back to the seat again. "When I was a kid, we'd just drive out to a parking lot near where they were shooting off the fireworks… And we'd watch them from the bed of the truck. Avoided the crowds that way, and the traffic. So… it don't really matter to me. As long as you're happy."

Beth smiled at the man next to her. She couldn't believe how sweet he was, beneath that somewhat tough exterior. She couldn't help but think that she didn't deserve someone so wonderful in her life – but she wasn't going to let those insecurities interfere with things between her and Daryl. He was the best thing in her life, and she wasn't going to let him get away any time soon. She'd made that mistake once and it wouldn't happen again. She knew she was a bit of a mess sometimes, a bit overemotional and indecisive. And she'd never trusted guys in her life before, not totally anyway. But for some reason, Daryl had wiggled his way into that little place within her, showing her that she could trust him. And she knew how genuinely rare that was.

"Maybe we can do that…" Beth said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. They were pulling into her driveway and Daryl looked over at her, with a little confusion registering on her face, putting the truck into park. "You know, find a parking lot somewhere to watch the fireworks" Beth said, realizing that several minutes had passed since Daryl had suggested that and that he wasn't sure what her initial statement meant.

Daryl just nodded at her, smiling. He got out of the truck quickly and came around to her side, helping her out and gathering their belongings from the back of the truck. They moved into the house, and Daryl deposited their bags on the kitchen counter, leaving them to be dealt with later.

"What do you want to do in the mean time?" Daryl asked Beth. She thought she heard a suggestive nature to his voice as he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her, his mouth and nose nuzzling against her ear gently. He starting kissing her ear and before Beth realized it, his hands had moved to her backside, pulling up the skirt that she'd been wearing and cupping a butt cheek in each of his hands and squeezing gently. All of a sudden, Beth felt a little overheated and she couldn't breathe. She pulled away from Daryl, not completely, but enough to breakup what was happening.

"I want… uh… I need to take a shower" Beth said, flustered. And she didn't wait for Daryl's response. She spun around, meaning to move out of the kitchen and up to her room. But she paused for a moment, although she was unsure why.

And Daryl didn't seem to lose a beat, coming up behind her, engulfing her with his arms again, kissing her neck and shoulders with big, wet open-mouthed kisses.

"Let me help you, then…" Daryl said into her ear and she felt his hands move to the back of her bathing suit top, pulling one of the strings at her neck, then running the back of his hand gently down her back to the remaining strings, pulling one of them, freeing Beth of her top.

Beth gasped as she felt her still-damp top freed from her body, falling onto the kitchen floor. And then Daryl's hands ghosted around her sides, then moving across her stomach and slowly, almost painfully, landing on her exposed breasts. The sensation sent shocks throughout her body, making her arch her back a little, pushing her breasts farther into Daryl's hands, her head falling back a bit and landing near Daryl's shoulder. She no longer wanted to get away – and she couldn't have even if she'd tried. All she wanted now was to enjoy Daryl's hands on her body, finally feeling him touching her where she'd only been able to imagine so many times before.

"Is that alright, baby?" Daryl asked her into her ear. His voice was a bit tentative now, which surprised Beth given the seeming certainty of his actions. She realized why, though – after what had happened between them weeks before, he wanted to be overly cautiously, making sure that he wasn't getting ahead of Beth like he had before.

Beth wasn't able to speak, so she simply hummed out her agreement. Daryl's kisses on her ear and throat would have probably been enough to drive her crazy, but the feeling of his hands on her, one of his hands tenderly rubbing each of her breasts, was almost too much to take. She couldn't help the soft moans that started to escape her lips. Or the wetness that she could tell was pooling in her bathing suit bottoms. She wondered if Daryl knew how much he was affecting her, just how wet he was making her. She'd never felt like this before simply from someone rubbing her breasts and she wondered how in the world Daryl knew her so well, knew exactly what to do to turn her on.

"You're so beautiful, baby" Daryl said, again, speaking into her ear. His voice was so sexy, and feeling his breath into her ear drove Beth even further towards the edge. She wondered in that moment if it was possible to fall over the edge just from doing this – she thought she was getting dangerously close, which surprised her.

"God, Daryl…. Oh…." Beth heard slip from her lips in between her increasingly frequent moans.

"Does that feel good? You like me touching you, baby girl?" Daryl asked her, continuing his assault on her breasts.

"Yes… So good…" was all Beth could manage to breathe out. She was so wound up now.

"Has anyone ever made you orgasm just from touching your breasts, baby?" Daryl asked her, almost whispering.

Beth could only shake her head to respond – she hadn't even really known that was possible. But right now, she could feel herself dangerously close to that edge.

"Do you want me to?" Daryl responded.

And those words were all Beth needed. She felt the pressure between her legs escalating quickly, making her clamp her thighs together, desperate for some type of friction or contact. Then waves of pleasure crashed over her again and again as Daryl's hands pushed her over the edge into her climax.

"Oh! God! Ohhhhhhh!" Beth called out, her voice throaty and full of pleasure. She was glad that Daryl was holding onto her then, afraid that her equilibrium was off and that she might stumble.

Daryl helped her ride out those waves of pleasure, and then snuggled into her from behind, with his arms circling her waist and holding onto her tightly. He hummed into her ear, signaling his enjoyment of what had just happened. And she hummed back, a tiny giggle of pleasure escaping her throat.

All of a sudden the moment was interrupted with the front door flying open and then a very familiar voice.

"Beth! I made it home for the fireworks! Whose truck…?" her uncle called out loudly, before stopping his question abruptly. And Beth had no question about why he'd stopped speaking.


	21. Chapter 21

"Elizabeth!" Beth's uncle roared. She could tell without looking that he was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. And the tone of his voice told her everything she needed to know about how he was feeling about the situation in front of him. She knew how bad it looked – and she also knew she'd never been able to convince him that she and Daryl weren't sleeping together. She was sure he'd already leaped to that conclusion himself and nothing she could do or say would be able to change that.

She hated that her uncle was often so judgmental of her choices. Yes, she was incredibly grateful for everything he'd helped her with, allowing her to live in his house, and taking care of the utility bills too. He'd been like a second father to her in a lot of ways. But during the time that they'd both lived together in the house, Beth had struggled at times, wanting to be an independent college student but feeling that her uncle was constantly looking over her shoulder. How could she really become and strong and independent adult, she'd often wondered, when her uncle was there being overprotective and trying to treat her like a middle schooler.

Instinctively she spun around towards the sound of his voice, but then instantly regretted it. How could she have forgotten in that moment that she was half naked? And the tank top that she'd worn to the party was in her bag on the kitchen counter, since she'd elected not to wear it on the drive home.

Luckily, Daryl was in front of her now, and she was able to shield herself a bit behind him. He had also turned around towards her angry uncle and Beth was horrified by the situation – horrified that she'd put Daryl in such an uncomfortable situation. Why did something always go wrong between them this way, she wondered?

"Uncle Jeff… I… uh… I didn't know you were coming!" Beth said, unsure of what to say or do in the moment. She knew she needed to get some clothes on. She knew her uncle well enough to know that a long conversation about this was about to follow. What she wasn't sure about though, was how she could get to the counter without flashing her naked breasts to her uncle. Although it seemed crazy to do, she thought maybe going upstairs would be a better option – that way, she could shield herself behind Daryl long enough to turn around and only her naked back would be exposed.

"Beth! Get some clothes on – what in the world are you thinking, girl!" her uncle said, almost shouting now. She could see the anger registering on his face and she couldn't get out of the kitchen fast enough. She didn't want to leave Daryl just standing there, but she didn't know what else to do.

She ran upstairs as quickly as she could, trying to listen closely to what was still happening in the kitchen. She knew she needed to get back there as quickly as she couldn't – she didn't know how Daryl would respond to this type of situation, and she didn't want things to escalate unnecessarily between Daryl and her uncle.

* * *

><p>"Who in the world are you?!" Jeff growled towards Daryl.<p>

In that moment, Daryl couldn't move from that spot, even if he'd wanted to. He was stunned by the entire situation. It all happened so fast – those intimate moments with Beth had been wonderful and then before he knew what was happening, the moment was shattered and the mood changed by the abrupt entrance of this man, who he'd quickly realized was Beth's uncle. This was his house, Daryl thought – why had he allowed himself to be brazen enough to do what he'd done to Beth right in the middle of the kitchen.

"WHO are you?" Jeff snarled out again, snapping Daryl out of his own thoughts, reminding him of the urgency of the situation that was just in front of him now.

"Umm… Name's Daryl" he finally was able to respond nervously.

"Daryl, huh? So… want to explain to me what in the world you are doing with my niece? Huh? You do know this is MY house, right?" Jeff asked Daryl.

"I'm her boyfri... Uh... We 're together." Daryl said, stumbling a bit over his words. He realized now that the word "boyfriend" made since in his head. He wanted to be that for Beth. But he wasn't sure that's what she wanted – he thought so, but was afraid to breathe out those words just yet.

"Together, huh? That why you had your filthy hands all over her, then?" Jeff cried out.

"It ain't like that… It wasn't… We haven't even… Shit!" Daryl said, growing increasingly frustrated by this man in front of him. It wasn't any of his business what he and Beth's relationship was – so why did Daryl feel like he had to justify himself to this man?

"Is that filthy mouth the same one that you kiss my niece with?" Jeff asked Daryl, a tiny smirk appearing on his face, which unnerved Daryl. He didn't understand this man, didn't understand his reaction. Beth had told her that he was very religious, but that he'd also sacrificed a lot in life to be successful. Daryl couldn't quite reconcile those two things, especially when he saw the man in front of him. He seemed unreasonable, and almost vindictive.

"And what do you mean that it isn't like that? Like what? See, I know my niece. She's a good girl. She's not that type of girl that would just… You're obviously taking advantage!" Jeff continued.

"I'm not taking advantage of her!" Daryl said defensively, he was starting to get upset, angry about this man's accusations. How could anyone think he'd been taking advantage, especially after he'd been so guarded over the last few weeks?

"How old are you?" Jeff asked, a demeaning tone dripped from his words.

"Why does it matter?" Daryl responded.

"Well..." Jeff started, that smirk that had been playing on his lips now growing even bigger. " I mean, let's call it like it is, Daryl... Beth is like, what, almost half your age? Come on. I'm not dumb. Or blind."

"I'm not twice her age…. And, you don't know… You don't know nothin' about me… or about us!" Daryl defended. He knew his face was growing red, but he couldn't help it. He was so irritated by this situation. Wasn't Beth 21, he thought? Couldn't she make her own choices? Just because she lived in this man's home didn't mean that he got to decide everything about her life, right?

"Oh, I think I do." Jeff sneered back.

"Daryl?" Beth called out from the living room. He turned to see her moving towards him quickly, a very concerned look on her face. She was wearing her standard around-the-house outfit, an oversized sweatshirt and short cotton shorts. He knew he needed to calm down, he didn't want Beth to think he was flying off the handle at her uncle. He'd tried to talk to him like a reasons person, but it was obviously that Beth's uncle had already made up his mind about him.

"Hey" he said meekly, turning around to face Beth and putting his back to Jeff.

"Hey" she said softly, circling her arms lovingly around him. He was a little surprised by this, he hadn't known how she'd act around him in front of her uncle. But it was reassuring, making him feel like everything was still okay between them, even if this situation had quickly gotten out of hand.

He returned her affection, placing his hands on her elbows and bringing his forehead down to hers and resting it there. He just needed to breathe for a minute, he thought. And it helped being near Beth – he wasn't sure what was about to happen, but she always made him feel better.

"I'm so sorry about this" Daryl whispered.

"No… I'm sorry. But it'll be okay, babe. I promise, okay?" Beth whispered back, looking up at his eyes, which silently pleaded with him just to trust her.

He didn't have any words. And all he could do was give her a small nod.

* * *

><p>"Do you mind?" Jeff snarled after them, breaking through their moment together, bringing them back to reality. "I need to talk to my niece".<p>

Beth nodded to Daryl, signaling to him that it was alright. She moved away from him, wanting to get into the living room to put a little space between Daryl and the conversation she was about to have with her uncle. She knew he'd still be able to hear from the kitchen, but she wanted to shelter him from what was about to happen, at least a tiny bit.

Jeff brushed past Daryl, following Beth into the living room.

Beth hadn't even made it to the couch before Jeff started his questioning.

"Who is that guy? Where in the world did you meet him, Beth? How'd you get hooked up with him of all people?" Jeff asked, his questions pouring out one after the other.

"Jeff, please. Don't do this. You don't know him! I'm sorry about what you walked in on… but… it isn't what it looked like!" Beth replied. She was trying to be calm, but she'd heard too much of her uncle's conversation with Daryl, making her wary of his assumptions about this situation.

"I don't need to know him, Beth. I know the type. You are a beautiful girl, Beth. And you're sweet… too sweet for your own good! And he's obviously taking advantage of that!" her uncle said.

"No he's not, Jeff! You don't understand. You can't begin to know… I've been through hell the last few weeks. And Daryl went through it with me. He was here for me… he took care of me! And he didn't have to! He's just a good person! He cares about me!" Beth explained. She didn't want to tell him too much, didn't think he deserved to know all the details of what had happened to her, especially with the way he was acting.

"He was here for you? So you've been letting him stay here? In MY house?" Jeff asked, his voice getting louder.

"Yes… but…" Beth responded. But she was interrupted.

"I thought we had an agreement, Beth?" Jeff said, as more of a statement than a question.

"We did… but… you don't understand. It wasn't like that. We haven't been sharing a room or anything. Just… I need some help. I was in a really bad place and… he was there for me!" Beth said, pleading with her uncle to try and be open-minded.

"Oh… I'm sure he was there for you, Beth. He seems like he's really good at showing you how much he cares!" Jeff said, bringing his hands up to make air quotes with his fingers as he repeated the phrases that she had, using her own words against her.

"Please… just listen to me! Please!" Beth begged.

"Beth, he's not suitable for you Beth. What does he have to offer you? He's trash! Trash! Trash! Not for you!" Jeff said emphatically.

"No he's not! He's not! He's amazing… Why are you doing this? You don't know him at all!" Beth responded. She didn't understand this reaction. Sure, he had found her and Daryl in a compromising position, but she wasn't 15, and she felt like she had the right to make her own choices.

"Why would you choose that guy, Beth? There are so many nice guys out there… That have a lot more to offer you than he possibly could! And it seems like you could have your choice! What happened to that guy you work with? The one with the rich daddy?" Jeff asked.

"Zach? I don't like Zach! I like Daryl! And I want to be with Daryl!" Beth was livid now. How could her uncle bring up Zach now? The only thing he seemed to like about him was that he came from a rich family – and that infuriated Beth. Why should that be the only thing that mattered?

A short silence fell between them and then Beth heard the front door slam shut.

"Daryl!" she shouted. She knew he'd heard everything – and above all, she knew that the things that Jeff had said would have pushed all of his buttons. Daryl had told her before how he'd grown up, and how many people had called him white trash. And she definitely knew how much he disliked Zach – and her uncle bringing him into this certainly hadn't helped anything.

Beth sprinted through the kitchen and out of the front door. In that moment she didn't care about leaving her uncle behind – she would deal with him later and she had to make sure that Daryl was alright.

She saw him nearing his truck, his body language indicating an outward frustration over the situation at hand.

"Daryl wait!" she shouted out, still running towards him.

He turned towards her as she finally reached him, launching herself awkwardly into his arms.

"Please don't leave, Daryl. Don't leave me. I can't be without you!" Beth said, wrapping her arms around Daryl tighter and pushing her face down into his shoulder. She wanted to be as close to him as possible, wanted to smell him, touch him, and reassure him that it would all be okay – that they would be okay.

"I can't do this Beth." Daryl replied, shaking his head in frustration.

"Daryl, no… We will work it out. I don't care what he says. He doesn't run my life… Talk to me. Please. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Beth said, pleading now. She couldn't let Daryl leave – the last time he'd stormed off they hadn't seen or talked to each other for days and it'd taken a tragedy to bring them back together.

Daryl pulled Beth's head back a bit, just enough that he could look into her eyes. He kissed her sweetly, but pulled away after only a few seconds.

"Baby, it's always gonna be like this. Your family... Your friends... You saw them gawking at us today. They'll never accept me. They don't think I deserve you… They don't get it… and they never will! I don't know why I thought it'd work out. It's always like this for me." Daryl said.

"I don't care about any of that. I want to be with you, Daryl! Just you… nobody else! I'll move out of here… I'm not letting Jeff come between us. Or anyone else, okay?" Beth said. She wasn't sure what Daryl was trying to say. Was he calling things off, only hours after they'd shared their feelings with each other? He couldn't mean that, right?

But Daryl was silent. He'd broken away from Beth's gaze and was looking down nervously.

"Daryl… talk to me. It's going to be okay. I'm sorry about my uncle. But what he says doesn't matter! I don't care about any of that… I just care about you!" Beth said, growing a bit desperate now.

"You do care about him, Beth. Don't say that…" Daryl said softly, his voice almost a whisper.

Beth saw a single tear streak down his cheek.

"Daryl… please don't." Beth said, wiping away the tear, and kissing the place on his face where it had been.

"You gotta work things out with your uncle, Beth. And then… well… we'll see how it goes, okay? You can call me when he's gone… if you want. And we'll see. Okay?" Daryl said, still looking down, his voice very serious.

"What? Daryl? No! Are you… are you breaking up with me?" Beth said frantically.

"I don't see how it's gonna work, Beth. Not like this, anyway" Daryl answered shaking his head. His movements seemed to indicate a "no" to Beth, but his words were unclear. And in that moment, Beth thought she was going to be sick. Daryl didn't say anything else, and she didn't know what to say. He wasn't even going to fight to be there with her? He was just going to give up this easily? She was hurting so badly and she couldn't believe how happy and full of joy she'd been just an hour ago; now, though, she felt like her heart was breaking.

"If that's what you want…" she managed to squeak out. She could feel the tears in her eyes now, and knew that she couldn't stop them, no matter how much she wanted to.

"You know that ain't it, girl… It's just… I can't do this. I can't know that it will always be like this. And it will… It will always be just like this. And I'm not doing that to you. You shouldn't have to go through that, baby girl. You deserve so much more than that. So much more than I can give you" Daryl said.

"That's not true… and you know it! You've given me everything already… and we're just starting!" Beth said. She wanted to reassure Daryl, but it just didn't seem to be doing any good.

Daryl was silent again, shaking his head, obviously unsure of what to say or do.

"Okay…" Beth finally said. She was too upset to fight him on it now. He'd convinced himself of something that wasn't true, based on insecurities he'd had his entire life. And she knew she couldn't convince him otherwise, no matter what she did. She'd work things out with her uncle, but then she'd work things out with Daryl. And she didn't care, in that moment, if she had to move out of this house. She wasn't going to let Daryl go that easily. And she wouldn't let him leave without telling him how she felt. She snuggled closer into him now, wanting to treasure this moment – she didn't know how long it might be until there was another one like it.

"I'm not giving up on us, Daryl. I want to be with you. I might let you drive away right now, but I'm not letting you go." Beth whispered into Daryl's ear.

He simply nodded to her, and brought his mouth to hers, kissing her, slowly and gently. Daryl held her there, sadness filling both of them. He eventually broke their contact, moving towards his truck, and getting in.

And as he pulled out of the driveway, tears streamed down Beth's face and she heard a whisper escape her own lips.

"I think I love you…".


	22. Chapter 22

As soon as Daryl pulled out of the driveway he felt tears streaming down his face. He couldn't believe what just happened. But then again, he thought, he could. Hadn't everything good in his life always been taken away?

He wasn't going let that happen, though. Not this time. He cared too much about Beth to let her slip through his fingers. He didn't know how he'd live without her for the next few days, but he decided he'd give her the space she needed to clear things up with her family. And then they'd work things out. They had to, he thought. The thought of being without her was too much to take.

When he pulled into his apartment, he was struck with a feeling of emptiness. This place was so unfamiliar – the few days he'd actually spend there held few memories for Daryl, especially since he'd been drunk. But those memories he did have were of deep sadness and loss. He couldn't go back to that place again, it wasn't over between him and Beth and he wouldn't let his own feelings of insecurity push her away. He'd lost himself in his grief over her once, but he wouldn't do that again. Things would be okay, he told himself. They would.

He thought back on what he'd told Beth in the driveway.

_'I can't do this.'_

_'It'll never work.'  
><em>  
>He didn't feel those things now. And he needed to let Beth know. And he needed to let her know right away. He thought about going back to her house to talk to her, but realized he couldn't. And she was probably too busy for a phone conversation too, he thought, although he'd give about anything to hear her voice, if only just for a few moments. He'd just text her, he thought, and she could respond when and if she got a chance. That'd have to be enough, at least for now.<p>

He grabbed his phone, the one he really only used to talk to Beth, and started typing out a somewhat frantic message.

Hey baby. I'm sorry about everything. I know we can work it out. I'll do anything.

I can't be without you.

He wanted to tell her he loved her. That maybe he'd loved her since the first day they met. But that was too much, he thought. He was afraid of scaring her off if he said too much. Hadn't they just, that very afternoon, admitted their feelings for one another? He couldn't launch into admissions of love just yet – she was dealing with enough right now and didn't need an awkwardly premature proclamation of love causing her more stress or confusion.

He sent the message and, after waiting for a few moments for a response and then realizing she was probably too busy talking to her uncle to respond, he tried to busy himself about his apartment. He hadn't been there long enough since his Walmart trip to set anything up, although he had dropped all the items off a couple of weeks ago on one of his brief trips there – they had been stuffed into the back of his truck for too long and he didn't want to clutter up Beth's house with all those bags. Daryl set about unpacking and setting up some of the things he'd bought for his place – putting sheets and a bedspread onto his bed, cutting tags off of new towels and folding them for the bathroom. He also unpacked things he'd gotten for the kitchen, silverware, plates and glasses, and a toaster and coffee maker. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he's gotten these things, he thought.

Daryl thought back to that night he'd gone to Walmart, which had been several weeks ago now, although it felt like a lifetime. He hardly recognized himself as the same man he'd been then. Then, he'd been willing to give up on things with Beth, too afraid of being honest with her for fear of more rejection. He'd felt dejected after what had happened between them – she'd freaked out and he'd been incredibly hurt by her reaction to him. Now, though, he understood why she'd reacted the way she had. And he had gotten much closer to her now. And he was too close now to push her away the way he'd tried to before. No, now he was certain just how much he needed her and how desperate he was to know that things were alright between them.

He busied himself for a while, trying to take his mind off of Beth but falling horribly short of that. After finishing his chores he checked on his supply of clean work clothes, most of which, he now realized, were still at Beth's. He knew he could make it a few days without those, though, if it took that long for him to get them back from her house. He tried to watch TV, but couldn't help but wonder about what things would be like now that he was back at his own apartment. His entire relationship with Beth had been based around him living under the same roof as her – how would things change now that they weren't? He reasoned that they would lose a lot of those little private moments that he'd grown so accustomed to, those normal everyday things that they did together that made him feel so comfortable with her. He was lost in his worries about what his new normal with Beth look like when he heard his phone ding, indicating he had a message, and as he walked to pick it up, it sounded again. He saw that he had two messages from Beth. And as he read them, he simultaneously smiled and felt incredibly sad.

I miss you already. I'll work this out. Don't worry. I just need to know that you're alright... And that we are alright.

I can't be without you either.

* * *

><p>The next few days went by painfully slow for Daryl. He realized just how codependent he'd become on Beth. He didn't really know what to do with himself without her – and although he knew it seemed crazy, he couldn't do anything without considering what Beth would want to do, even though she wasn't there. On Saturday night, after a long day of trying to keep his mind off of the situation, he decided to go out for some dinner. He'd never been one to want to go to a restaurant, sit down, and eat alone. But he needed to get out of his apartment – it was depressing to be there alone and he was sure some fresh air would do him some good. On the way, though, he couldn't help but ponder what Beth would want for dinner. And he knew in that moment how incredibly lost he was without her.<p>

Sunday went by just as slowly, but it helped that he'd exchanged a few messages with Beth throughout the day. They were just short texts, but for Daryl, they kept him going, kept him optimistic about how things would turn out. Monday was a bit better of a day since he had to work and he was actually able to throw himself into focusing on his work and his workers, which was a welcome change from the weekend. He was a bit bothered, though, when he got into his truck at the end of the day and saw several messages from Beth. Apparently her dad had come into town, complicating things even further, Daryl guessed, although Beth gave him no details about what was happening. He spent the rest of his night worrying about her, and praying to a God that he hoped was listening that she would be alright and that they would get through this bump in the road.

Somehow, he actually cajoled himself to sleep somewhat early, knowing that the week ahead would be long and that he'd deprived himself of sleep enough over the past few nights as he laid awake worrying about Beth.

And all of a sudden, sometime in the middle of the night, she was there. Beth was there. And she was sliding into bed next to him, wrapping herself around him, smiling down at him as he looked at her questioningly. He wasn't sure how she'd gotten in at first, although he realized quickly that he'd given her his spare key. He also wasn't sure that he wasn't dreaming, but in that moment he wasn't sure he cared, as long as he didn't wake up. He pulled her as close as he physically could, closing every bit of space between them, realizing how much sweeter this was with her now that they'd been apart for several days. They didn't speak, not for a long time, but just stayed there, holding each other, drifting in and out of sleep.

Daryl woke up to Beth's face hovering over his, her fingers ghosting over his chest, a tiny smile registering on her lips and in her eyes. She seemed so at peace and even though he wanted to ask her what was going on, why she'd appeared there all of a sudden, and a million other things, he couldn't. He was content to just have this with her, for however long it lasted.

And then she was kissing him, gently and sweetly, but with so much depth and love that it nearly broke Daryl's heart, only because he knew that eventually it would end. He wished that time would just stand still in those moments, and that he could just stay there like this with her. If they only had this, even if it was for the rest of his life, he thought, it would be enough.

But then she whispered something that he knew he'd never forget as long as he lived.

"I love you".

He felt a smile spread across his face, looking up at her with the same sweet emotions that he saw in her returned gaze. He felt like he could finally breathe, he finally knew that Beth loved him. And loved this woman, he thought, he loved her so much that it made him feel like he might explode if he didn't tell her. He wanted to yell it out, tell her how relieved he was that she felt the same way. But for some reason, something held him back. He couldn't say it, he realized, not yet. Not now.

So he held her close, and he kissed her more deeply. He'd show her, he thought. If he couldn't find the words, he'd express his love through his actions. He'd kiss her, and hold her, and touch her, and hopefully she'd know – hopefully she'd see that he loved her too.

"Make love to me, Daryl" Beth pleaded softly into his ear.

And he was lost. Hopelessly lost in her and in how strongly he felt about her and in the joy of that moment. He thought briefly about telling her no, or trying to discuss it with her. Was it really a good idea, he wondered? Were they ready to take that kind of a step? Would she regret it? Was she just feeling emotional after everything that had gone on the last few days with her family? He didn't know the answers to any of those things, but he knew he couldn't turn her down. And he didn't want to. He loved her and he wanted her to know.

Beth started kissing him again slowly, not waiting for his response. Their kisses stayed slow, but the intensity quickly escalated, becoming almost desperate as Daryl's tongue brushed against hers and his hands moved into her hair. He'd never felt like this before, never wanted to make love to someone the way he wanted to with Beth. He'd never cared much about taking his time, or being particularly sweet or gentle. But he wanted to do that with Beth, for Beth – he didn't want to rush, wanted to savor every second they had together. He still had those same reservations he always had – the questions about why Beth would ever want to give herself over to someone like him. But he pushed those to the back of his mind. The last few weeks had taught him to trust himself with her, and to trust what they had together.

Beth started to kiss his neck, slowly moving her way down towards his chest, which she was still running her fingers over tenderly. She kissed the tattoo that rested right over his heart, the one that bore his grandfather's name. She kept kissing, kept touching; her movements were slow and sweet, not hurried. But Daryl needed more – he loved Beth touching him, kissing him, but he needed to touch her, to feel her soft skin under his fingertips.

He rolled them over, positioning himself slightly on top of her now, his body slightly to the side of hers, her tiny leg resting in between both of his. And he kissed her again, realizing he'd never get over how wonderful her lips felt on his, how right they felt being together like this. He moved his kisses onto her neck, and then slowly to the top of her chest, just above the top of her worn t-shirt. Daryl gathered the hem of her shirt in his hand, raising it up just enough to run his hand up and under it, ghosting his fingers over the skin on her stomach before finally, torturously trailing upwards to capture one of her breasts. He smiled a little, having known she wouldn't be wearing a bra – she rarely did, it seemed. But he obviously didn't mind.

She moaned out his name, more of a breath than anything, and he thought he might explode inside of his boxers, just hearing her, feeling her, and watching her enjoy the sensations of his fingertips on her skin. And in that moment, Daryl didn't want to think about anything else other than this – no consequences, no regrets, no looking back, just forward.

He took his time touching her, caressing her, loving her – he moved from breast to breast and back again. He knew how much this would arouse her, especially after what happened Friday, when he'd brought her to orgasm just from touching her like this. But he wanted to see her now, her beautiful body and his fingers moving over it. He pulled the hem of her shirt up further, tugging on it a bit, signaling to Beth that he wanted to take it off. She gladly complied, helping him by leaning up slightly and raising her arms as much as she could, allowing him to peel the shirt from her body. And God, now he couldn't help himself from bringing his lips down onto her breast, taking one of her nipples into his mouth, licking and sucking, and loving the moans that started to escape her lips with more and more frequency.

Beth smiled down at him, a mixture of lust and love filling her eyes, and in that moment, Daryl wanted to do everything he could to show her how much he loved her. And he wanted to make her feel good, wanted to help her forget about all of the pain of the last weeks. He slowly slid his hand down her soft stomach, running his fingers tenderly over her shorts, those tiny shorts that she always wore that Daryl thought looked more like glorified underwear. He loved the way they showcased her beautiful legs and her cute little butt. But now, he wanted them gone, wanted to touch her and smell her desire and just enjoy every part of her.

He shifted above her, moving down on the bed and onto his knees, straddling Beth. He hooked his fingers into both sides of both her shorts and her panties. Suddenly, though, he looked up at her, maybe a bit cautiously, realizing suddenly now that this is where things had gone wrong for them, all those weeks ago when they'd first gotten physical with one another. But Beth just gave him a small nod and he knew that this was really nothing like what had happened before.

He slid her shorts and panties off and while he wished he could have drawn things out a little more, his fingers went straight towards that small strip of blonde curls, the bottom of which was already glistening with evidence of her desire for him. He nudged her thighs a bit further apart, giving him complete access to her, loving the sight of her now, totally naked and open to him. His hand slid down to her beautiful pink bundle of nerves, circling his middle finger slowly around it. He felt her moving against him, just a tiny bit, but just enough for him to notice and to feel himself grow even harder inside of his underwear. Her eyes were closed now, but Daryl loved the look on her face, the look of sheer pleasure. He continued touching, occasionally dipping his finger carefully into her to gather as much wetness as he could, rubbing it along the length of her. He pulled back the flesh there to reveal her most sensitive part, barely touching her, causing her to jerk a bit uncontrollably. She moaned, almost continuously now, growing louder and louder, moving her hips against his fingers. He wanted to be inside of her, he was almost desperate now – but first, he wanted to give her as much pleasure as he could, bringing her to a first climax just through the touch of his hand. She deserved as much pleasure and joy as he could give, Daryl thought, and he planned to give her everything he could.

She fell over the edge quickly, much more quickly than Daryl expected. He was also surprised that almost immediately she was pawing at his underwear, pushing it down and grasping her hand around him, causing an uncontrolled curse to escape his lips. Daryl wasn't sure he could ever get over the feeling of seeing Beth holding onto his manhood, caressing it, admiring it. And he was incredibly fearful then that he really was just dreaming.

He stood up quickly, letting his underwear drop completely off and onto the floor before taking his place back on the bed, this time, directly on top of Beth. She was moaning with need again and he was surprised at how unbelievably wet she still was. Her kisses were needy now, full of lust and desire and she was moving her hips against him again, her movements seemingly urging Daryl on, begging him to act, to push himself inside of her. And he knew he couldn't wait another minute longer to give her what she was asking for, what they were both longing for.

He'd never admit it to Beth, at least not any time soon, but he realized in those first moments that his favorite part of making love to her, other than the incredible feeling of being one with her, was watching her face as he pushed inside of her time after time. Her beautiful face was incredibly expressive and he found sheer joy in watching her expressions change with her increasing arousal.

This wasn't like any sex he'd ever had before, he thought. It was slow and steady and loving and he couldn't help but think how beautiful it all was. He was attentive to Beth, and she, in turn, was also attentive to him, as they adjusted to one another, moving together. It wasn't like a normal first time – they were two people that seemed to know each other completely, easily anticipating the needs of the other. He was overcome with the feelings of pleasure, but even more than that, the feelings of love and true devotion that filled his heart. As he moved against Beth, pushed himself into her over and over, he felt a sense of completion, of fulfillment like he'd never had before. He knew he was gone then, lost in Beth and that he'd never feel like this about anyone else again. And he was truly hopeful and excited about what the rest of their lives together would hold. This sudden surge of emotions was strange to Daryl, sex hadn't ever been like this before – he'd never been one of having all these types of feelings or overt sentiments. But something about Beth brought it out in him. And although he almost felt like a sissy for having such an emotional overture, he really didn't care.

Daryl watched Beth's face as he tried to move her closer and closer to falling over the edge, feeling himself drawing her to that edge, trying to control his release until he knew she was close. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last, between Beth loudly moaning his name and her beautiful blue eyes locked on his, he felt himself teetering on the edge of what he knew would be the best orgasm of his life. And then there she was with him, jumping over that edge, pulsating and throbbing around him, pulling him over the edge with her.

He was in a state of sheer bliss as they, together, rode out their climaxes. She pulled him close to her for a moment, burying her face into his shoulder, seemingly savoring every last moment she could. Eventually he pulled away, settling down against her on the bed, trying to control his breathing but pulling her back into him, enveloping her with his limbs.

And they both fell asleep quickly, just like that, sweaty and exhausted, but fully satiated with what they'd just shared together, both physically and emotionally.

* * *

><p>Daryl woke up hours later, quickly remembering he and Beth's love making and smiling to himself as he thought back on it. He rolled over towards her, only to find that she wasn't there. He quickly rose, hoping she was just in the bathroom, or maybe in the kitchen making coffee, but after a frantic search of his small apartment he realized that she was gone. It was only then that he noticed the envelope with his name on it that had been left on his bedside table.<p>

He wasn't anxious at first – he knew after what he and Beth had just shared that their relationship was stronger than ever. They were in love, he thought, and he couldn't help the giddy grin that formed on his face. He wondered though, as he opened the envelope, what would have caused Beth to leave so early this morning, without saying goodbye.

_Daryl,_

_This is the hardest letter I've ever had to write. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you last night everything that this letter contains - I'm not emotionally strong enough, and, well, I think I was just selfish, wanting to have one last happy moment with you before I go. I need something to carry be through our time apart. Making love to you was the most joyous moment of my life. I can never tell you how much light you have brought into my life, especially in a time of so much darkness._

_I'm going away for a little while. My family and my doctor think it's for the best. I'm still not completely sure, but I do know that since the drowning I've still felt like I was living under some sort of black cloud and I have to get out from under it. I can't live this way. And I look forward to coming back to you in a few weeks, hopefully healed, and we can start things back, together._

_My doctor has recommended that I go to an inpatient treatment facility that specializes in depression stemming from traumatic events. It is called The Healing Place and it's in Florida. The program lasts 6 weeks, which is why there isn't a lot of time for me to wait to go - if I want to start school on time in the fall then I need to go immediately. My father is driving me back to Georgia today and will drive me to the facility tomorrow. I will start my treatments immediately._

_My doctor has expressed some very real concerns that I haven't received any formal treatment for what I went through, and after talking to him about my plans to start my student teaching in August he is worried that my depression over that little girl's death could spill over into my working with children at school._

_I'm so sorry how all of this worked out. The things my uncle said about you were horrible – and I'm dealing with a lot of guilt about all of that. I promise you that when I come back things will be better – and I won't let anyone get in between us, I promise. I want you to know how much I care about you and how grateful I am for everything you've done for me over the last weeks. Even though my father didn't initially care to hear all the details, my doctor said that the things you have done for me probably saved my life. And after hearing more about everything you did to help me, to save me, my family seems to have warmed up to the idea of you and I._

_This wasn't the first traumatic event of my life, Daryl. I've told you almost every possible thing about me, but I'm sorry that I was too much of a coward to tell you about everything. I tried to commit suicide several years ago. That's where that terrible scar on my wrist came from - not from a bed of broken shells like I told you. I've struggled with depression for a long time. Meeting you, though, and hearing about your life has made something inside of me snap. More than ever I want to move passed all of these bad things and have a genuinely happy life. And I want to do that with you._

_I am truly optimistic about this program, although my heart is breaking thinking about being away from you for so long. They even have a music therapy program, which is what inevitably sold me on going to this specific one. My doctor is hopeful that, through music, I can learn to deal better with my emotions._

_I can write to you, although not every day, and I'm not completely sure how often. They actually encourage writing as a means of therapy, a way to communicate feelings and emotions to those close to you. You won't be able to write to me, though. I will try to write to you as much as I can._

_I've got to finish this up so that I can get going before you wake up – you may never understand but I'm just not good with goodbyes. This isn't goodbye though._

_I want you to know that if all of this is too much for you, I will try to find some way to understand. And if, after all that has happened, you just don't think you can be with me, I will try to let you go. But I hope to see you soon. I'll be counting the days. _

_What I told you last night is true – I love you. And it's okay if I'm a little ahead of you in saying it. I want you to wait until you're ready. I hope these weeks will go by quickly and then we can be together again, and start the rest of our lives, together._

_I love you and I'll be seeing you,_

_Beth_

Daryl stared at the letter for a long time, before letting it drop out of his hands and onto the floor of his bedroom. Tears were streaming down his face now and he couldn't control them. He was glad Beth's letter seemed so optimistic, but his minded swirled around one sole thing.

Beth was gone. He hadn't told her he loved her. And how he'd have to wait.


	23. Chapter 23

Daryl tried to do the best he could as the days passed by. They were painfully slow, though, without Beth there to keep him company. During the days after their confrontation with her uncle he'd gotten a dose of the reality of being without her, at least physically. Over those preceding weeks he'd gotten so used to life with her, doing everything with her, that a couple of days without her had been tough to take. And then she'd come to him in the night, but disappeared again so quickly. And all he was left with was the lingering memory of making love to her, how whole and joyful he'd felt, but the emptiness that followed in her absence.

He knew she'd come back to him. At least that's what her letter said. And he had to find some type of comfort in solace in that promise. He made a habit of reading her letter over and over again. He couldn't help it. And it'd gotten to the point now, after being without her for almost two full weeks, that he could almost recite those words by memory. Every time he read that letter, the words in his mind took on Beth's voice. And so, he read it over and over again, just to feel close to her, just to hear her voice.

The first few days after she'd left he'd beat himself up emotionally. His own mother had suffered from severe depression, and while her disease manifested itself much differently than Beth's, he now recognized some of the same things in Beth that he'd seen in his own mother. And he hated himself for a while for feeling like someone if he had recognized them he could have done more to help her. Although he'd finally come to realize that wasn't true. He hated that Beth was gone now, that she was far away from him and that he couldn't talk to her – but he knew that she desperately needed this help. He only hoped that she would actually be able to work through some of her grief about the little girl's drowning, deal with some of her guilt and sorrow over that. He'd sworn so many times, in his ever-increasing prayers to a God that he'd only recently started to talk to with great frequency, that if she came back to him, he'd do everything in his power that make sure she was okay for the rest of her life. Or, he thought, at least until she'd had enough of him.

Daryl's thoughts about Beth consumed him, but he struggled to keep himself in between the lines of normalcy during the work week, knowing that he needed to do well at his job, keep a stable and secure income coming in. He didn't know what Beth would do when she got out of this program – but he wanted to make sure he was there for her, no matter what. He'd be her rock, he told himself. Yes, he'd be everything for her. If she'd only let him. If her family would only let him.

He'd started to write down some things in a little journal that Beth had given him. He'd commented one day about how she always seemed to be writing something late at night and she'd told him about her journaling and how she used it to reflect on things, to document stuff she wanted to remember, and also to write down song lyrics that she was working on. The next day she produced one she'd gotten for him, although he'd never really taken the idea of writing seriously. At least until now. For some reason, Daryl saw the journal as a connection to Beth now and so, he wrote down his feelings for her, his thoughts and his dreams, too. He almost felt like if he wrote them down, he was secretly communicating them with Beth. He knew that wasn't really true, but it made him feel better somehow knowing that he'd written some of those things down, that they weren't just rattling around in his own head.

Daryl didn't check his mail as regularly as most people. He never got much and it often didn't cross his mind. So when he checked his box on a Monday after work, exactly two weeks after the night he and Beth had spent together before she left, he was surprised to see an envelope with his address postmarked from Florida. He ripped into it, not wanting to wait to even get into his apartment – he was desperate to hear from her, or at least hear some news about her. He hoped that envelope contained something that would let him know how his Beth was doing, how she was fairing all those miles away from him.

He wasn't disappointed.

_Wednesday, July 16, 2014_

_Daryl, _

_I hope everything is going well for you. I hope that your job is going okay and that things with your work crew are still going alright. The weather is getting so hot, I worry every day thinking about you being outside all day. I wish I was there to cook dinner for you every night when you come home – you work so hard you deserve to have a good meal when you get home. I promise I will when I get back there. That is, if you still want to have anything to do with me. I hope you will. _

_I miss you so very much. I think about you almost constantly, which hasn't helped the time here pass by any more quickly. I know I shouldn't wish time way, shouldn't wish my life way like that, but I am ready to be back home, back with you. Almost everything I do reminds me of you. The food is surprisingly good here, but I miss you during those times so much. I never realized how much I loved eating with you, talking to you about your day, and sharing things with you. After dinner time here is the worst for me. I long for you then, more than ever. I think about all those nights we spent cuddling on the couch. Sometimes I close my eyes and try to imagine the feeling of your arms wrapped around me and your head nuzzling up against mine. I'm sorry if I took you for granted. I won't anymore._

_My therapist says that sometimes I'll be able to write to you and that will always be on Wednesdays. They'll mail the letters first thing on Thursdays – so you should get them by Saturday at the latest I'd think. I hope I will be able to write every week, but I'm not sure – we don't get much say in our therapy and activity schedule, although I guess that is part of this whole thing. It's hard not having control of your own life, but, that's one of the most important things I'm supposed to learn here – how to cope with situations in life when they don't go the way I'd hoped, or when I don't have control. I can write to you sometimes, though, if I complete assignments that I'm supposed to within my letter as well. _

_It's strange writing to you like this. I've never even written you an email, but now I'm writing you from here, like I'm gone to summer camp or something. They won't let us use a computer, so I have to hand write everything. I don't really mind, though, I kind of like it. I just hope you don't mind, or that you're able to decipher my writing. _

_It's hard being here and not knowing what you're doing. Most of all, though, it's hard not knowing how you feel about me and about things between us. That's one thing I'm really struggling with the most now. But my therapist said I should write to you about it – that it would help me to express myself to you, even if you can't write back and even if it'll be weeks before I know that you're okay or even if we are okay. I can't stand the thought that we aren't okay – I know I said in the letter I left that I'd try to let you go if that's what you wanted, but I'm not really sure that I could. I hope I won't have to, but I'm so afraid. _

_Leaving that note for you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I didn't really get much choice in the decision to come here – but I also knew it was what I needed, so I didn't try to fight my family or my doctor about it. I still know that's true. But leaving you was what worried me most. I couldn't be there to see how you'd respond to my letter, to finding out about my suicide attempt or my depression, or that I'd be gone for six weeks. It plagues my minding thinking about it all, and I just hope that you are okay – and that you are willing to work through all of this for me. _

_I am so sorry for all of it, Daryl. I'm sorry for putting you into the situation that I did with my uncle, with my family. It was stupid of me. When you kept asking me about going back to your apartment, I just didn't want to let you go. I was selfish and I wanted you to be with me. I didn't want to be without you and I didn't stop to think of the consequences. And I'm sorry that I wasn't completely honest with you about my depression or that I couldn't talk to you about it before I left. I shouldn't have just left that letter like that. I just didn't think I was strong enough to talk to you about it. I was so afraid. I still am. _

_I love you so much that it hurts. I hope you don't hate me for what happened between us before I left – for asking you to make love to me and then leaving you with just that letter. I hope you don't regret it. Thinking about those moments with you have carried me through the last week, and will continue to help me through this time that I'm here. Daryl, I never imagined I could feel like I do about someone that I've only known for a few weeks. It makes me feel crazy sometimes. But I know that what we have is real. I've been with a few guys before, but I've never felt the way I did with you. _

_My dad has been a lot more open-minded in listening to me about everything, and listening to me about you. He obviously didn't love what my uncle told him about walking in on us, but my dad isn't like my uncle. He tends to see the best in people, and I know if he gets to know you he will like you. I thinking he's already starting to see a little of what I see – I talked about you the entire way to Georgia, and then on the way here too. I told him you're a good man. He knows you saved me, you saved me from myself._

_My uncle is different though. I don't think I'll be going back to his house when I leave here. I can't be around him, or even really be reminded of him now. He said some terrible things to me that night of the 4__th__, about me and about you. I know he was just angry, but I don't know that I can forgive him. It was all too painful. I don't know where I'll go when I get out. I am coming back to the island though – I am coming back to you. I just don't know where I'll live right now, but my dad said he'd help me figure it out. He is so desperate for me to be okay, and to make sure that I finish school, that I think he's willing to do almost anything to help, even if he has to pay a lot for me to rent an apartment. I think he feels guilty. _

_They're telling me that my writing time is up, so I have to wrap this up. I promise to write when I can. Please know that I'm thinking about you every minute of the day. And I'm hoping that you're thinking of me too. _

_I love you. _

_Beth_

* * *

><p>The days came and went, and Daryl had gotten a little glimmer of hope about things from Beth's letter. He hated that she questioned their future, that she wasn't sure about how he felt about her, or whether he'd be willing to continue their relationship. He felt ashamed that he hadn't vocalized his feelings to her when he had the chance, but he hoped that his actions would carry her through their time apart. He thought about making love to her a lot, too much, probably, he thought. But he'd never connected with someone on that type of level before and it had solidified to him that his feelings for Beth were like ones he'd never had for anyone else before. He loved her, and he'd do whatever he had to when she came back to show her that every day.<p>

Daryl had decided on Saturday that he needed to get out of his apartment, needed to go out and do something and try to make the best of the day. He knew that's what Beth would want. And thinking about her, he decided to go fishing. He loved fishing and knew it would remind him of her, of the time they'd gone all those weeks before, her first real trip out of the house after the incident at the beach. That was the beginning, Daryl thought back now, of her starting to come out of her frazzled state. After their trip that Sunday, she'd started to come more out of her shell, slowly but surely letting Daryl peel back the layers that she'd surrounded herself with after the accident.

Daryl had gotten up early, planning to head out fairly early before the oppressive heat of the middle of the day. He was in his truck and just pulling out of the driveway when he heard his phone ringing. He was surprised – very few people had his phone number and he hardly received calls from anyone. Now that Beth wasn't around, he wasn't sure who would be calling him. He didn't recognize the number, but did recognize the Georgia area code. He held his breath, fearing the worst – he'd gotten too many calls that contained bad news about his brother, Merle, and he was sure that the voice on the other end would have some similar bad news to deliver.

He was surprised, though, when the man's voice on the other end wasn't at all what he'd expected.

"Hello?" Daryl answered.

"Yes. Is this Daryl?" the man said, a bit of uncertainty registering in his voice.

"Yes. Who's this?" Daryl replied.

"Well… This is Hershel Greene, son. I'm Beth's father." he heard from the other end of the line.

And now Daryl was holding his breath again, but for a different reason entirely.


	24. Chapter 24

A million things ran through Daryl's mind as he realized that Beth's father was on the other end of the phone call. Initially he was a bit panicked – had something happened to Beth? Why else would he be calling? But he quickly realized that the man didn't sound upset and that he was probably just being paranoid. He was nervous, all of a sudden, realizing this man was calling him to have a serious conversation, no doubt, and it was difficult for Daryl not knowing how much Beth may have told her father about him, or about him and Beth's relationship.

Hershel's words shook Daryl back out of his thoughts and his silence.

"You there, son?" Hershel asked, a bit of concern in his voice.

"Yes sir. Uh… sorry about that" Daryl replied quickly.

"Is this a bad time?" Hershel asked.

"No, sir. No it's not… I was just a little bit surprised, that's all. It's fine." Daryl said, still trying to deal with his nervous feelings on this situation. "Is… is everything okay? With Beth?" Daryl asked. He was still a little afraid that maybe something was wrong with Beth.

"She's fine, Daryl. Just fine." Hershel replied, and the certainty in his voice made Daryl feel calmer. "I'm on my way to visit her now, actually. I hope you don't mind me calling you so early… I'm making the drive from Georgia down for visitation day, so I've got a lot of time in the car".

"There's a visitation day?" Daryl asked, he could feel his heart start beating quickly again. Why hadn't Beth told him? Why hadn't anyone told him? He wouldn't have cared if he'd had to drive all night to get there, he would have gone to see her, even if it was just for a few minutes.

"Well, yes, son. But… they only let one immediate family member in to see her… For an hour every Saturday. It's not much, but, I'll take it. I'm the only one that's been to see her. I think everyone else is still a little bit freaked out about everything." Hershel explained.

"Oh…." Daryl said. It was all he could manage. He'd give anything to see Beth, or to just talk to her on the phone even. He couldn't help the frustration that crept up inside him. He knew he wasn't Beth's family, but he wished more than anything he could be included in those types of visits.

"I'm sorry. She asked if you could be the one to come, but the facility wouldn't allow it. I tried… tried to give my permission, but it didn't matter. They have rules they have to follow, I guess." Hershel said, sounding genuinely apologetic.

"Yeah. I'm… I'm glad you can go. I… just… well… I miss her." Daryl said.

"She's missing you too. You're all she talks about. That's a big reason for my call now, Daryl." Hershel said solemnly.

"Okay?" Daryl said, a bit confused by what Hershel was implying.

"Her therapist told me last week when I visited that she seems so caught up in worrying about you… worrying that you won't accept any of this… or that you won't want her back after this… or that you don't love her. And she's fixating on that and so all these other things… well… the ones she went there for treatment about… they've become secondary for her. Because she's worried about things between the two of you…" Hershel explained.

Daryl felt his heart catching in his chest. It hurt him that Beth wasn't confident in his feelings for her, or in their future. But, he hadn't told her he loved her. Maybe he hadn't done enough, he thought. He'd worried about that over the last days and weeks, and what Hershel was saying seemed to suggest that his anxieties about that had been well-founded.

"So I just need to ask you… I need to know… I need to know where your head is in all of this, son" Hershel continued. "I know I've never even met you. And I don't know you… although I hope maybe that will change. I have heard a heck of a lot about you and you sound like you really care about Beth… really love her. And I'm sorry to just call you up like this. But I'm seeing Beth this afternoon. And I think she needs some reassurance… and since you can't communicate with her, I'd like to provide her with what I can… from you. If that makes sense".

"It does…" Daryl said. He still wasn't completely sure what Hershel was asking, but he thought he was getting closer.

"Now… I'm not trying to pressure you… but I need to know. Beth, she needs to know. She needs to know if you're gonna be there for her when all of this is over… If you're gonna stand by her." Hershel said, obviously trying to clarify his statements, wanting Daryl to know now exactly what he was asking.

"Of course I am. I'm not giving up on her. I love her. I'm not going anywhere. Mr. Greene, you've gotta know that! You've gotta tell her… Tell her I'm not going anywhere!" Daryl said emphatically. He felt a little desperate then, hating to feel that Beth was so unhinged worrying about their relationship, and wanting her father to feel confident that he'd be there for her, take care of her.

"Nobody's gonna fault you if you don't want to, son. From what I understand you two haven't known each other all that long… It's not for me to judge that though. Time often doesn't really matter in matters of the heart… I know that from personal experience. But if this is too much for you, nobody's gonna fault you for walking away. You didn't know what you were getting yourself into with her, I'm guessing." Hershel said.

"That don't much matter now…" Daryl started to respond.

"Well, maybe not… But, if it's too much for you…" Hershel started. But Daryl cut him off.

"It's not too much. I'm gonna take care of her. I'm gonna be there for her. I love her. I do. And I'm sorry I never told her. I thought she knew… but I never woulda let her just leave without me telling her. I just didn't know she was… until she was just gone." Daryl said.

"You have to understand, Daryl… She's my little girl. And I've gotta know… gotta know now that you're committed to her. I'm not trying to interfere in your relationship. And I'm not trying to pin you down and make sure you wanna marry her or anything like that. That's for y'all to decide, now or ten years from now. Beth's grown and she can make her own choices. But she's going through a hard time. She's gonna need some support. And I can't let her go back to Hilton Head not sure what kind of help or support she's gonna have there. I can give her everything I can while she's in Georgia, but once she'd back there, I can't help as much." Hershel said. He almost seemed to be pleading with Daryl now.

"I am committed to her. And I'm committed to being there for her. No matter what. Even if… even if she decides she doesn't wanna be with me. I'll still be there for her. She was there for me. And I won't ever leave her. You have my word on that." Daryl respond. He was so sure of what he was saying now, so sure of how committed he was to Beth. But he just hoped his certainty was coming across to Mr. Greene.

"I'm gonna have to find her a new place to live. And move all of her stuff. She's not gonna go back to my brother's. And I don't want her to. My brother's always been a bit of an ass and I blame myself for letting her get into that situation of living in his house. It was too good to be true, really… And I knew that along really. I knew eventually something would happen and he'd fly off the handle like this. I'm surprised they made it this long without something happening." Hershel said.

"Well… Uh… I feel weird saying this to you, but, well… I can't ask her myself. But, she can live with me… if she wants to… even if it's just for a little while. I mean, don't you think it might be good for her not to be alone? At least at first? I know I'd rather do that… I'd rather her be right there with me so I can make sure she's alright. I don't think she needs to be by herself." Daryl said. He was nervous again and feeling incredibly awkward about talking to his girlfriend's father about them moving in together.

"Okay…." Hershel started to respond, speaking slowly. Daryl wasn't sure how he was going to respond to this. But then he continued. "I'll need to talk to Bethy about it. It's a strange conversation for a father to be involved in between his daughter and her boyfriend. But I know she needs this. She will want to be there with you. I'm sure of it. But I wasn't gonna bring it up to you. I can tell you'd do anything for her, even if it was something you weren't really sure about. And living with someone isn't to be entered into lightly. But I think you know that."

"I do." Daryl said quickly.

"I'll talk to Beth about this. But I'm sure that's what she'll want... She'll want to be wherever you are. I know y'all were basically living together before and that she'd not gonna want to change that when she gets out. If anything, she'll be more anxious to be around you." Hershel commented.

Daryl felt incredibly awkward now. He and Beth had basically been living together before. That part was true. But, not really in the way that a couple lives together – they didn't share a room, and Daryl was there more for moral support than anything else, although that had started to change right before the incident on the 4th.

Hershel broke through the awkward silence that had fallen between them. "And if I need to help you all with anything… with rent, or paying utilities, or whatever, I will. This is a strange situation… I know that. But I'm being open-minded about it. Sometimes what's best for your children isn't necessarily what you would have chosen for them. I don't generally support people living together outside of marriage… But I know this is what Beth needs right now. She needs you".

"Thank you, sir. I… uh… I'll take care of her. I promise. And… I can handle it. I have a really good job and don't live an extravagant lifestyle, so… I can easily manage it all. I thank you for your offer though… I… I'll start looking for a new place right away. That way we can make sure to get her stuff there before she comes home. I don't want her to have to go back to that house again. And I'd like her to be able to go straight to the new place when she comes back here… Like having a fresh start in a new place. I think that'd be good for her." Daryl said.

"I think so too son, but… Well… Beth told me that you had your own apartment?" Hershel asked, confusion registering in his voice.

"Yes, sir… I do. But, it's just… well… it's very small. And, for both of us I think it'd be a tight fit. Beth deserves her own space. Not just some tiny garage apartment. She should have her own room… Her own stuff…." Daryl said. He didn't know how to express it to Hershel without giving him too many private details, but he didn't know whether he and Beth would jump immediately into sharing a room. They hadn't done that before, and while they had slept together before she left, he didn't want to assume anything.

"Y'all may be passed that stage now, son." Hershel said.

Daryl felt a little defensive now. And he needed to let Hershel know how he was really feeling, the things he was struggling with in his mind. "That's for Beth to decide. We've never shared a bedroom. I'm not gonna jump into this assuming we will now. I want her to be comfortable. So I will look for something a bit bigger. And whatever we need, I'll get it. I don't really have any furniture. But I'll figure it out."

"Okay. I guess I'd assumed some things that I shouldn't have. And I apologize. You are an honorable man, Daryl…" Hershel said.

But Daryl was silent. How did he respond to that? He didn't want to give Hershel any false ideas about the purity of their relationship. But at the same time, it wasn't really Hershel's business, was it?

Again, Hershel sensed the awkward silence and spoke up. "Beth's mom and I can help you with furniture if you need some. We've got a whole basement full of stuff we don't use that we'd love someone to put to good use. There are actually a couple of really old pieces that belonged to Beth's grandmother that we've always held onto for her until she had a place of her own to put them. That might really make her day… coming home to a place and seeing them."

"Anything that can make her happy, I wanna do it. I appreciate the offer of the furniture. That'd be really nice. I can come down sometime and take it back… I don't want you to have to do that." Daryl said. He was a bit overwhelmed, really. Hershel was being so genuinely nice and he could hardly believe that this man was offering to give him some of their family's antique furniture.

"You're a good man Daryl. I'm sorry about what my brother said to you. And said about you to Beth. I don't know all of it but I know what Beth told me. And… well… I'm embarrassed about it. I hope you know he doesn't speak for our family. We are excited to get to know you. And make a space for you with us…" Hershel said.

Daryl didn't know what to say. His own family had always been a train wreck, and there was never any love lost between his father and him, and even though his mother had been a bit better, she'd died when Daryl was still very young. And Merle had spent most of Daryl's life in and out of prison. So hearing someone, especially someone like Beth's father, tell him they'd make a space for him in their family was almost overwhelming, almost too much to hope for. It was simultaneously almost too much to help for and everything he'd ever wanted. And, so, Daryl got a little choked up, but tried hard to keep himself together. Hoping that the man on the other end of the phone couldn't hear how emotional he'd become.

Hershel seemed to realize, though, and spoke again. "The truth is, son, that my little girl loves you. I've never seen her talk about someone like she talks about you. She thinks you hung the moon… and… well… from what she's said you've more than prove basically have. You've definitely proven yourself…. Not that you should have to. But you have. And as a father that's all I can ask for with my daughters... Someone that puts their needs above his own, who doesn't give up when things are hard."

"I been through a lot of hard things in my life. And my momma had depression. I should have seen the signs in Beth. I've been going over and over it in my head too. I can't help but think that I shoulda recognize some of those same things…." Daryl started. He was still very emotional. And thinking about family man him think about his mom and her depression and his recent frustration that he hadn't identified Beth's.

"You didn't fail her son. You did way more than most people would have… and you can't beat yourself up because you didn't know everything. You had no way to know!" Hershel said.

"Yeah... maybe so" Daryl answered. He still wasn't sure, but for some reason, Hershel's words resonated a bit with him. He wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that he should give himself some grace about the whole situation.

"Can I ask you to do something for me? For Beth?" Hershel said, his tone changing a bit. He almost sounded hopeful, Daryl thought.

"Of course…." Daryl said. "I'd do anything for her."

"Stop thinking about what happened before now... That you didn't see the signs, that you could have done more, that you didn't tell her that you loved her…." Hershel said.

"It's not that easy…" Daryl said, reflecting on how much he had fixated on all those things over the past couple of weeks.

"I know…" Hershel replied. "But try. Try so that you can just move forward, just focus on what's next, on the future."

"Okay. I'll try." Said Daryl, truly meaning what he'd said. He would try – if it would help Beth, he'd do anything.

"That's all I ask." Hershel said.

Daryl didn't know what to say. So he didn't say anything for a few moments. And Hershel didn't either. But finally Daryl spoke.

"I… uh… I appreciate you calling. I know I haven't known Beth long. But I feel like I have. And it seems crazy maybe, but she makes me feel whole... Like a missing piece of myself has finally been fit back into place. I know that's cheesy. I just love her so much… and I don't know what to do with myself." Daryl said. He was afraid he sounded crazy, afraid he was rambling.

"I can tell you do, son." Hershel said.

And that was enough. That was all that needed to be said between them. Silence filled the line for a few moments.

"You save my number, alright? Let me know what's happening. And I will do the same. I want to come up to the island and help you figure some things out with a place for y'all to live. And getting Beth's stuff. I'll call you about that soon. Alright?" Hershel said, beginning to end the conversation.

"Yes sir. Thank you." Daryl said.

"No, thank you, son. I feel a lot better going to see Beth knowing I can tell her she doesn't have to worry. And I know she'll be alright away from you as long as she's with you." Hershel said.

"Yeah..." Daryl said. He wanted to ask Hershel something, but he was a little hesitant at first. He wasn't sure if it was appropriate. But he knew it was his only chance to send a message to Beth. So he just finally blurted it out. "Will you... Will you just tell her I love her. And that I'm gonna be right here. I'm not going anywhere. And the second I can see her after she gets out, I'll be there. I'll come to Florida… or to Georgia… Or I'll just wait for her right here. But no matter what, I'm gonna do what I have to do to be there for her."

"I'll tell her." Hershel said, and Daryl thought he could sense that there was a smile on the man's voice.

"Thank you." Daryl responded.

"You keep in touch, Daryl." Hershel said.

"You too." Daryl told him.

"You have a good day, son." Hershel said.

"Yes, sir. You too. Goodbye." Daryl said.

"Goodbye, son" Hershel responded.

As Daryl hung up the phone, he just sat there for the longest time, having long since reached his fishing spot, where he'd been sitting in his truck talking to Hershel. He couldn't have imagined when he woke up that morning that he'd be talking to Beth's father, or that it would have as well as it had. He felt better suddenly – almost at peace about the situation.

It would be okay, Daryl thought. And he really believed that.

* * *

><p>Another week passed, still slowly, but a bit more quickly than the last had. Daryl was starting to find a new normal. He didn't plan to get used to Beth's absence – she'd be home with him soon and he couldn't wait. But he knew he needed to follow Hershel's advice, needed to look towards the future, not focus on the problems in the past.<p>

After coming home from work on Friday evening he was ecstatic to find another letter from Beth in his mailbox. He almost cried as he pulled the pages quickly out of the envelope, excited to see Beth's handwriting covering several pages of plain white paper.

_Wednesday, July 30, 2014_

_Daryl, _

_I think I am starting to make a little progress. Therapy has been a bit painful. I've never been through anything this difficult before. I realize now how much easier it has always been for me to just try to shove my feelings way down deep – ignoring them and suppressing them is much easier than dealing with them. And I'm much better at pushing them down, trying to ignore them. But I know now that's not healthy. And that's no way to live. _

_It may sound weird, I guess, but I'm trying to learn how to express myself more, to talk about my emotions and feelings and thoughts, instead of ignoring them and letting them control me. I understand now that's a big part of my depression and that I will probably always struggle with it, because it is actually an illness, but that I can learn how to deal with things much differently to help myself "cope". Coping is discussed a lot here. At first I thought it was weird to focus so much on that, but I'm learning how important it is. And I want, more than anything to be better. And I especially want to do that for you. _

_I'm still dealing with a lot of guilt over the drowning, but through my therapy I'm coming to understand more about my feelings. My feelings aren't wrong – no one's feelings are ever wrong. But, I know now that sometimes I become consumed with things in my mind, or I let things that happen to me skew my way of thinking or my sense of reality. I think that's what happened after that little girl died. Because it was so terrible, so traumatic, and I felt like I could have done more to help her, to save her, I just kind of lost myself in all of that. I fixated on it, day and night. I know you probably know that's what I was doing since you were there with me all the time – and I have a lot of guilt about that too. I took so much of your time and energy and I wish I could have coped with it all differently. I felt so lost, then. And I've come out of it now, mostly. But I'm afraid, Daryl. So afraid that something else will happen and I won't be able to cope. I hope I can keep learning how to do that. I think I'm getting there. I know it will be a long road. I'll probably have to work hard at it my entire life. And I know there will be more hard times to come. _

_My dad visited on Saturday and he said he'd talked to you. He didn't tell me much, but that you both had made a plan for when I come back to HHI. I was shocked that he seemed okay with me living with you, and maybe even more shocked that he said you'd suggested it, almost insisted on it, even, he said. I don't want to put you out, Daryl, and I have the biggest fear that I'm already too dependent on you. But for the life of me, I can't escape the feeling that I need you. I need to be near you. I need to be close to you as much as I can. And I want you to know that if us moving in together is too much, then I'll be okay. I really will be. But I do want that. I want to live together. I want to have a life together. I've never wanted that kind of think with anyone before. But I love you – and I know now that you love me too. If you convinced my dad of that, it must have taken a lot. He has always had high standards for the guys Maggie and I dated. But he seems truly accepting of you and I know it's because he's able to see the same good in you that I see. _

_I've got to go. I'm well into my music therapy work now and I'm really loving it. It has reinforced my passion for music and my calling to teach it. I never thought it could help heal people – but I think it is slowly helping to heal me. _

_I am thinking about you always. I cannot wait to be back in your arms. As of today I am half way through the program and have gotten great reports from my doctors. They think I'm making the progress I need to in order to get back to my normal life the way I'd hope, and when I hoped. So I'll be seeing you very soon. I hope you'll be here when I get out. I told Daddy to talk to you about coming. But if you can't get off of work, I understand. _

_I love you. _

_Beth_


	25. Chapter 25

**Two weeks later**

Saturday morning Daryl was excited. His long work week was over and he knew that the next one would be short – he'd only work 2 full days before heading to Georgia and then on to Florida to see Beth. Today was moving day. He'd found a new place for them to live, something bigger and brighter and much more accommodating. And luckily for him, through some miracle that he still couldn't quite believe, the rent was unbelievably low. Carol had come through for him again, finding him a wonderful little house, which he knew Beth would love. When Carol first showed it to Daryl he immediately knew it was just right for the two of them.

After the last letter from Beth, Daryl felt more confident than ever about his and Beth's relationship and their future. He'd spoken to Hershel again, a few times actually, and he'd felt increasingly comfortable with the relationship he was slowly developing with him, as well. It was amazing, Daryl thought, how Hershel could be so nice and understanding, open-minded and kind, while his brother was completely the opposite. He was glad that Beth's uncle was out of their lives, at least for now – he and Beth didn't need anything else coming between them. They'd had enough struggle for a lifetime, he thought, and all he wanted now was for them to settle into a happy and quiet life, together.

Daryl knew he had a long day ahead. He'd packed up all the things from his apartment, which he was somewhat grateful now weren't much. He planned to have breakfast and shower, and then load his things up and head over to the new place, which was only a few minutes away. Hershel had insisted on coming up to help him and he was bringing up a small U-Haul trailer full of furniture for their new place. Daryl had offered multiple times to come down to Georgia to get those things, but Hershel had insisted that he'd bring them, insisted that he needed to come and help Daryl get things situated at the new place. And while Daryl didn't think that was necessary, he was incredibly grateful that he was coming to help with getting Beth's things from her uncle's house. That was still an uncomfortable place for Daryl and while he planned to go and help Hershel with the things, he knew he would have had a difficult time going alone, if her uncle would have even allowed it at all. He knew he'd have done anything for her though, no matter how uncomfortable it made him.

Beth. She preoccupied every part of his mind. He'd never known it was possible for someone to be so deep under your skin that you couldn't escape them, couldn't get them out of your head, even if they were so many hundreds of miles away. He couldn't wait to see her, to wrap his arms around her and not let go. And mostly, he couldn't wait to tell her that he loved her, actually say those three words that had been running through his mind almost constantly since she'd been gone.

After his breakfast and shower, Daryl packed up his truck with his things. He realized he hadn't checked his mailbox since Thursday. He'd had his mail forwarded to the new address, but knew he needed to clear out anything left in the box. He anxiously walked out to see if he'd gotten anything, really just hoping for one last letter from Beth. He knew she always would write on Wednesdays, but this last one would be the last possible letter. He couldn't help the smile that formed across his face when he saw the now familiar envelope. Unlike the last two times though, when he'd ripped into the contents before he could even move back towards his apartment, he decided to save it. For some reason he thought he'd wait until tonight, when he'd gotten more settled into their new place. Her last letter, he thought, should be read in their new home. And he needed to get moving to the new place, Hershel had already called to tell him he was close, and Daryl thought that Hershel might even beat him there. So he needed to get moving.

The move in went surprisingly easy for Daryl. He was amazed at the beautiful furniture that Hershel had brought for him and Beth to use in their new home. It was absolutely perfect for the style of the house and he couldn't wait to see the look on Beth's face when she saw it all. It was definitely her style, mostly antiques, and it was hard for him not to smile like an idiot looking at all of it, thinking about its origins, and how close he felt to Beth in this new space. He had quite a bit of work to still do to make everything ready for her to come home, but he thought he was confident he could get it all done on Sunday.

Daryl kept an ever-growing list of things he felt like they needed but didn't have and he knew he'd have to plan another trip to Wal-Mart to get them. He thought back to the last trip he made, and how drastically things had changed since then. He knew this trip would be so much more hopeful and he was even a little excited thinking about going and picking out things for them, things for his new home with Beth.

He and Hershel had worked diligently to pack up all of Beth's things from her uncle's and move them into the new place. Daryl had unpacked most of them, but was anxious about unpacking everything. Beth should have a say in where her things went, he thought, but he also reasoned that she could move around whatever she wanted. He didn't want her to come home to a bunch of boxes, so he finally decided it'd be best to organize things as best he could and worry about how she liked it when the time came. He'd decided to put her things into the master bedroom, but to put his own in the neighboring bedroom, at least until he and Beth teased out their sleeping situation. He so desperately hoped that she'd want to share a room with him, share a bed. He wanted to be as close as possible to her now, especially after what they'd shared before she left and the weeks they'd spent apart. But Daryl wasn't naïve to Beth's need to continue her healing and he didn't want to push anything on her. He'd decided that it'd be best for her to choose when and if she wanted to share a room with him. And he was content with that.

Daryl couldn't wait until Beth saw the house, and all of their things there. Her father had kept the house a secret, by Daryl's request, so that it would be a surprise for her when they came home from Georgia. She knew she'd be living with Daryl, but knew nothing about the new house he'd found for them. And he found himself almost giddy with excitement thinking about how excited she would be to see the new place.

* * *

><p>Time passed by quickly and by the time Hershel and Daryl made it to a good stopping place for the day the sun was already sitting very low in the sky. Daryl insisted that Hershel stay with him overnight, even though that hadn't originally been Hershel's plan. But the older man agreed and the two decided to go out to get a quick bite to eat before calling it a night. At dinner they discussed plans for the coming week, for Beth's release, and the days before and after.<p>

She would be released early on Thursday, August 21st. Daryl had continued to communicate with Tyreese about what was going on with Beth. Earlier in the week Hershel indicated to Daryl that he thought he should go with the family to Florida and Tyreese had been incredibly gracious and encouraged Daryl to take a few days off to go down to Florida to be there for Beth. It was an incredibly long drive and Hershel had invited Daryl to come to their home in Georgia first and ride with their family to pick up Beth. Daryl was a bit anxious about this plan, but he agreed, knowing that it really was best and that it seemed to mean a lot to Hershel. Because of the time frame and the length of the drive, Daryl planned to head to Georgia late on that following Tuesday night before Beth's release. He'd spend the night at the farm and then they would all head to Florida on Wednesday, spending the night in a hotel there so that they could be at The Healing Place early on Thursday morning to pick Beth up.

Hershel had indicated that both Beth's mother and her sister Maggie planned to go with them to go pick up Beth. This made him the most anxious – thinking about the 6-hour drive to Florida with almost all of Beth's immediate family. He knew the drive home wouldn't make him as nervous, Beth would be with them and he guessed that much of the car conversation would focus around her. But the drive down to Florida was another thing entirely and he just hoped that Beth's mom and sister would be as open-minded about him as her father had been. He was hopeful that they would be.

He and Hershel also discussed what would happen in the days after Beth's release. She was scheduled to start her student teaching on Monday, August 25, and the proximity of that to her release date from the program had given Daryl a bit of anxiety. He wished Beth would have a little more time in between, although Hershel suggested that perhaps it would be good for her not to have a lot of down time. And Daryl thought that made sense. The tentative plan was for the family and Daryl to return to the farm on Thursday and for him and Beth to spend the night there Thursday and Friday before leaving early on Saturday to come back to Hilton Head. Daryl was pleased with this plan – it would give Beth a couple of days to spend with her family, and it would give the two of them a couple of days to start to settle into their new home before she had to start with school.

* * *

><p>After they arrived back at the house, Hershel excused himself to the third bedroom, which he and Daryl had set up as a guest room. Daryl was surprised that he didn't really feel tired, so he decided to sit on the couch for a while and relax for a bit. He grabbed a beer and thought back on the day. He couldn't help but feel great about how everything had fallen so easily into place. It felt a little too good to be true, but he was optimistic about things and told himself that he couldn't worry about how good everything was. He'd spent too much of his life waiting for the other shoe to drop – and he wasn't going to do that now, not with Beth.<p>

All of a sudden he remembered Beth's letter, which he'd placed, with his other mail, on the bar in between the kitchen and dining room. He quickly found it in the pile, taking it back to the couch. Just as he was opening it, Hershel reemerging.

"Just getting a glass of water… Don't let me bother you." Hershel said.

"You're no bother…" Daryl said, starting to focus on the letter. "I got a last letter from Beth… thought I'd read it now".

Hershel got his glass of water, but then stood in wait, in anticipation of a report from Daryl about the contents of the letter, wanting to know that Beth's letter suggested that she was doing okay. Daryl knew he had a stupid smile on his face, but as he started to read he didn't really care.

But the smile started to fade as he started to read the letter. And he wondered how in the world he'd explain to his girlfriend's father the reason that her words gave his body such an extreme physical reaction.

_Wednesday, August 13, 2014_

_Daryl, _

_It looks like my time here is getting short. And almost all I can think about now is getting back to you, back into your arms. I was spoiled before – all those nights of cuddling and touching, though it all seemed so innocent then. My thoughts aren't innocent anymore though, baby. I can't wait to be with you again. I can't wait to go to bed with you every night and wake up with you every morning. And so much more… I'm not sure I'd ever have the courage to tell you this in person. So I'll just write it for you now. To let you know, while we're apart…_

_I've been thinking about you… there's so much I can't help but replay in my mind. Like that time we shared together before I left. The way you moved over me, going in and out of me, making me cum harder than I ever have before. I can't wait to do it again, Daryl. I think I could spend the rest of my life doing nothing but that, nothing but making love to you, and I would be so happy. You were so soft and gentle then, so loving. And the look on your face when you came inside of me... it was amazing. And how you touched me, my tits, my pussy, it was unbelievable. I didn't know that I could feel like that. How do you know what to do, how to touch me like that? Even that first time that you touched me, that Friday night that seems so long ago, when I freaked out and ran you away – even then you seemed like a master of driving me crazy, pushing me right to the edge. I remember how unbelievably wet I was then. Wetter than I've ever been in my whole love. _

_I think about that night a lot too. That night when everything really first started. When I realized how crazy about you I really was. I think about you driving me crazy on the car ride home... you must have known what you were doing to me, but you were just working me up into a frenzy weren't you? And when you finally ran your hand under my shorts, when I'd begged you to touch me... I thought I'd died and gone to heaven then. Do you remember when you said you wanted to taste me? God. I think about that all the time now, play those words over and over again. I can't help but think about what that would be like, what it would feel like. What it __will__ feel like. Because I want it now, baby. I want you to taste me so bad. And I want to taste you. I've never done that before, never put my mouth on a guy's cock before. And no one's ever licked me before, licked my pussy. But I want you to. And I want to do that to you. I want you to be the first one I share that with… and the only one. _

_You're the only one, baby… the only one. _

_I never thought I'd say these kinds of things. And maybe I never will say them out loud. But I think about it so much now. I'm just waiting to be back with you. Waiting. That first time we had, it was more than anything I have ever had before, more than I knew was possible to feel with someone else. I wanna do it again and again and again. Every day. All the time. Is that crazy? I've even daydreamed about you coming home at lunch time for a sandwich and sex. And I don't wanna just do that, but I wanna know what it's like not just for you to make love to me, but for you to fuck me. God, I'm so wet right now just thinking about that. Thinking about you just letting go, hammering into me so hard that I'll be sore the next day, giving me a reminder of how hard you fucked me, how crazy we make each other, how intense our love is. _

_I know sex can be really kinky and that some people are really into that. I never have been. It always made me feel embarrassed to think about some of those things. But I don't feel embarrassed with you. And I think I understand now why some people get so into trying new things. Because that's how I feel now. I want to be with you every way I possibly can. I want to show you how much I love you in all the ways that are possible – and ways that I don't even know about yet. I hope you'll want that too. It's okay if you don't. _

_They're telling me I have to go now. I'm sorry to cut this short. I'm so wet thinking about you, baby. And it won't be long until I'm back there, right next to you. I came here because I'd gone a little crazy, but I'm going crazy now without you. I need you. _

_I love you. I'll see you so soon. _

_Beth_


	26. Chapter 26

Daryl stopped reading the letter after the second paragraph. Hershel was still standing in the doorway of the kitchen, looking at him anxiously, and he knew if he went any further with the letter it'd be all over. He was already painfully hard, and could only imagine what else the letter would include.

"Short letter?" Hershel asked, his curiosity obviously getting the better of him. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Fine. I... uh... I just miss her is all." Daryl said. It wasn't a lie, but he felt incredibly nervous in the moment. He'd die of shame and embarrassment if Hershel knew the things Beth hadn't written in that letter and couldn't imagine Beth wouldn't feel the same way.

Hershel just nodded his head at Daryl. But didn't make an immediate move to leave.

"She seems like she's doing good..." Daryl said. "She... uh... seems real anxious to get out, to be home." He hoped that his vague response was enough to satisfy Hershel. And, it wasn't a lie - she did seem quite anxious, although the details of what she seemed so anxious about almost made Daryl blush.

"I can't read it all now. Don't think she realizes how much her words affect me... How much I'm missing her. I'll have to finish it later." Daryl said. He knew the double meaning of what he said, but Hershel couldn't imagine Hershel did.

"Glad she seems to be alright. I know you miss her... And she misses you. But just think, son... Next week at this time y'all will be spending your first night here with each other." Hershel said, a small smile on his face.

Daryl was worried for a second that he'd caught on to what was going on with Daryl, what was causing his hesitation about the letter. Why would Hershel mention them spending their first night together here if he wasn't thinking about what Daryl was. But if Hershel knew he didn't let on anymore. He just turned and moved back towards the guest room, calling out a quiet "goodnight!" as he went.

Daryl could finally breathe. How in the world could Beth have sent him a letter like this? No. How could she have written it in the first place? His sweet little Beth had sent him this naughty little letter that turned him on more than anything he remembered. Of course he'd had the good fortune of trying to open and read it in front of her father, he thought. But he hoped he covered it all well.

He picked up the letter, turning off the TV, and heading to his room. He wanted to sleep in the master, the one where he'd put all of Beth's stuff, but he reasoned that he'd wait until she was there - they could christen it together, he thought, smiling to himself. He had no question now about their sleeping situation. Beth wanted to share a bed with him. And a lot more than that, according to her letter.

He decided to take a shower, but decided he'd finish the letter first, now that he was in the comfort of his own space, away from Hershel's prying eyes or questions. As he read he got more and more turned on, and he was glad then that he'd stripped down to his underwear, avoiding the feeling of himself straining against his jeans. He still couldn't believe that Beth had written this. He wondered what made her want to say all of this now. Her two other letters were so normal, a bit demure, and so very Beth in nature. But this, he thought, was totally outside of what he knew of her. His mind swum with thoughts and emotions.

He finished the letter and he headed to the shower, debating with himself how to get rid of his incredibly intense erection. He was particularly tempted to touch himself, to bring himself to a release. He hadn't so much as touched himself since Beth had left and he so badly wanted that release. But for some reason, it almost felt wrong. He thought about waiting, about just taking a cold shower to relax his body and going on to bed. But as he continued to consider it, stepping into the warm shower, he wondered to himself if Beth what Beth would think, and whether or not she'd touched herself while she was away. And the thought of that helped him make his choice, as he grew impossibly harder, almost painfully aroused thinking about Beth touching herself. And so, Daryl used one arm to brace himself against the shower wall, and the other trailed down to his manhood, where he took himself into his hand, moving back and forth, slowly at first, but eventually working himself into a frenzy. And what really sent Daryl over the edge was thinking about Beth touching herself; he imagined that she'd do it while imagining it was him, imagining it was Daryl who was there with her, running his fingers up and down her slippery folds, making her moan and groan as he brought her to a climax. And as he imagined her falling over the edge, subconsciously shouting out his name, it sent him over that edge suddenly.

Coming down from his high he thought more about Beth's return and what it would mean for him, for them both. Her letter had really surprised him. He couldn't help but wonder if he would even be able to give her everything she wanted. Would he even be able to keep up with her? Her letter gave him this mental imagine of her dragging him into their bed constantly, like an animal in heat, wild with need and desperate for relief. Would she really be like that? He hadn't seen her like that before, other than the brief glimpse he'd gotten on that Friday night after they'd left the bar when she'd begged him to touch her. But that had only lasted for a brief few moments before she's become withdrawn, timid and shy. He could hardly believe that same girl, who'd been too shy and nervous to let him put his mouth on her, was the one that had written him that someone erotic letter.

The more he thought about it the more conflicted he became. He loved Beth, and right now, he'd been without her so long that he almost felt desperate for her. But they were so new in their relationship that he didn't want it all to just become about sex. He thought about Merle in that moment for some reason – he knew that if he was there he'd tell him he was a "pussy" for being concerned about something like that. Because, what guy that's really a man would complain about his girl wanting too much sex? But Daryl had been in a relationship like that before with someone and when the focus shifted so drastically towards sex their emotional connection was stilted and getting to know each other more had taken a backseat. He couldn't stand the thought of that happening with Beth. The thing he loved most about her was that emotional connection they had – and he wouldn't jeopardize the growth of that relationship, even if it was for a bunch of incredible sex.

He knew they'd work it out, find a balance. But it still made him a little anxious. He just wasn't sure what to expect when she came home, and that still gave him a bit of anxiety. What also made him anxious was thinking about their reunion and then the two nights they'd spend at her parents' house afterwards. Hershel had seemed more than okay with them deciding to live together, almost encouraging it, which Daryl had found strange given what Beth had told him about her father. But would he and Beth's mother feel comfortable with them sharing a room, sharing a bed in their home? He wasn't sure. He wouldn't want to be away from her like that, but he'd do what needed to be done to keep a good relationship with Beth's family. If they did share a room, though, that brought up a mountain of other question. But the biggest question was whether Beth would want him to make love to her there. He knew he wouldn't want to wait when the time came, especially if she asked him like she had before. He wasn't good at denying her, and really didn't think he'd ever want to, not with anything. But he didn't think he could have sex with Beth there. It seemed too awkward, especially given he and Hershel's growing relationship.

They'd have to wait until they got back here, he thought. He'd make sure they waited until they got home. He knew it would be hard, maybe one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. But he knew it was the mature thing to do, and for the best for their relationship. They could wait a measly two days, right? After all, they'd been away from each other for six weeks now.

As Daryl dried off from his shower and moved back towards the bedroom, climbing into bed, he knew one thing for sure now. Beth was going to be the death of him. And he couldn't wait. What a way to go, he thought, a smile spreading across his face as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Sunday went by quickly for Daryl. He'd had a long list of things he wanted to accomplish, and he'd gotten up early to see Hershel off and to start on the list. He had committed to himself that he would get all of these things done, all of these things that would make him and Beth's new home perfect when they arrived there sometime on Saturday afternoon.<p>

He decided that he'd move his things into the master bedroom after all, although he'd still wait for Beth to actually sleep in there. Though it hadn't been in his original plan he knew now that Beth had no intention of them sleeping separately, and he couldn't have been happier thinking about that. They were a real couple now, and while they'd only been together for a brief time, he couldn't help but think that the trials they'd faced had bonded them far beyond those couple of months of their relationship. He felt closer to Beth than he ever had to anyone, even his own brother. And he felt like he might explode in anticipation of bringing Beth home, and them getting started on their life together.

By mid-day, Daryl had accomplished most of the tasks on his list, and his focus settled on his shopping list, which had grown significantly over the course of the last couple of days. He'd been glad to see how many things Beth had that he hadn't, that he'd have needed to buy otherwise. But there were still many things that they didn't have. He didn't concern himself with the cost of the things on the list, though. Luckily for him his savings had only grown over the last couple of months, as his salary far outpaced his very modest lifestyle. Part of him dreaded the trip to Wal-Mart that he was about to take, but the other part of him found it exciting, knowing he was going to pick out things for he and Beth. He knew he hadn't thought of everything – but if there were other things Beth wanted once she'd gotten settled in, he'd make sure to get them for her.

He headed out for his shopping trip, list in hand. He not only needed some items for their house, but also groceries. He'd wanted to buy as much of the things they'd need, including stocking their spices and basic cooking items. But he hadn't felt all that confident in the completeness of the list he'd made, although he told himself that he'd bring Beth back to get whatever he'd missed. He had this overwhelming need to make sure she had everything she wanted, to provide for her, and to make sure that she never worried about getting something she needed or the cost. He had more than enough to take care of them – and he would spend every dollar he had making her happy if he had to.

Upon getting to the store he quickly realized that he had too much on his list to get into one buggy and he resigned himself to splitting his trip in half – deciding to go through the household section first, checking out and taking those things to the car, and then going back in for the groceries they needed. He wondered through the store, actually enjoying the process of looking at things, picking things out that he thought Beth would like. He wasn't too concerned about how much time he spent, he wanted to be careful and get all the right things. He finally moved to the check-out, and then out to the car, unloading everything before heading back into the store for the groceries.

He pushed his cart through the different aisles, picking up things on the list, as well as other things he saw that he thought they'd need or want. He was almost finished, only needing to go down the dairy aisle at the back of the store before checking out, when he heard his phone ringing. He didn't recognize the number right away, but it was a Georgia area code, and he wondered if it was Hershel calling to let him know he'd made it back safely. So he answered quickly.

"Hello?" Daryl answered.

"Well hello to you, baby brother. Guess who's out of the big house… been trying to find you for a few days now." Merle said, his voice dripping with the normal patronizing tone it always did. And all of a sudden, Daryl felt sick on his stomach.


	27. Chapter 27

Daryl felt a little light headed. How had his brother gotten his phone number? He'd changed it after the last time he'd gone to prison, swearing that Merle was too out of control, and that he wouldn't let him back into his life until he had real evidence that he'd made some efforts to change. He wasn't sure that would ever happen, though. It had been hard for Daryl, almost impossible really, since Merle was his only living relative and they'd been incredibly close growing up. Although Merle was 12 years older, he had always stayed close to Daryl, making sure he was taken care of, even long after Merle moved out of their parents' house. But Daryl had finally had enough of Merle. Over the years he'd gotten Daryl into more trouble and into more bad situations than Daryl wanted to remember, although Daryl had miraculously escaped any legal trouble. But in the last few years Merle had gotten heavily involved in a drug and prostitution ring, and for Daryl, his arrest had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Merle?" Daryl asked, noticing the shock in his own voice.

"You got any other brothers?" Merle said mockingly.

"How'd you get my number, Merle?" Daryl said, starting to move passed his feeling of shock, feelings of frustration now radiating through him. He'd worked so hard to overcome his past, his family. And he was starting to come into his own, and actually had a great life – he had a great job, an amazing girlfriend, and now a beautiful home. Of course Merle would choose this time to try to rope Daryl back into his life. But Daryl wasn't having any of it. He wouldn't let anything chance his life with Beth. He couldn't do that.

"You sound like you wasn't wanting to hear from me, baby brother!" Merle said, a loud chuckle coming through the phone.

And now Daryl was angry. "I wasn't, Merle. I can't deal with you anymore… not until you do something with yourself, clean up your life. I've started over now, Merle. And I've got too many good things in my life to let you drag me down". Daryl hated to turn his brother away, but he knew it was the best thing to do, the only good option.

"I'm cleaned up! I'm clean, I promise. And I'm gonna turn things around. And I've got a plan." Merle said.

Daryl doubted seriously that Merle's "plan" was something actually legitimate. Nothing he did ever was. "What's the plan then?" he asked.

"Can you meet up with me? So I can tell you about it?" Merle asked.

"Naw…" Daryl said dryly. "I… uh… I don't live there anymore. I told you… I've moved on."

"Moved, huh? Where you living now, then?" Merle asked, sounding a bit condescending.

"Out of state…" Daryl said, unwilling to give Merle any details about his new life. It wasn't safe, he thought. He was afraid Merle would try to find him, but he wouldn't give him any details that would help him do so.

"You're not gonna even tell me where you're living? You that afraid of me? Huh?" Merle asked, and Daryl could tell he was starting to get angry.

"No. I'm not telling you. I'm not afraid. Far from it. I just ain't letting you get involved in my life. You always ruin everything, Merle. And my life's good… real good. So forget it." Daryl said.

"Awww… Come on, baby brother. Don't be like this. You know you need me. I'm the only person that's ever had your back… the only person that ever really been there for ya!" Merle said.

"Yeah… well… not anymore!" Daryl said. And he hung up the phone.

He stood there for a long while, right in front of the milk case, just staring blankly at his phone, thinking about what just happened. He knew he'd done the right thing, but being so cold to his brother, his only relative, hadn't been easy. He wished he at least knew that Merle was okay, or that he had a good place to stay, had a plan to really get back on his feet.

He shook his head, telling himself to be stronger. He needed to do this for Beth. And with that, he snapped back to his current reality – he had to get home and finish getting everything ready for Beth's return. Tomorrow by this time he'd be on his way down to Georgia. And he hoped the next few days flew by – Thursday morning couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

><p>The drive to Georgia seemed much longer to Daryl than the actual five hours of the drive. He was anxious to see Beth and wished he could just snap his fingers and fast forward to Thursday morning when he'd finally be with her again. He arrived at the Greene's family farm a little before midnight, exhausted from a full day of work in the hot sun and the drive from South Carolina. Half way, he thought to himself, he was halfway to Beth now and he looked forward to Wednesday's trip to Florida, knowing that once they got into the car and started driving every minute would put him a little closer to Beth.<p>

He'd called Hershel a little after he'd left Hilton Head to let him know that he'd be late getting there, but Hershel had assured him that he'd be waiting up for him. He'd also encouraged him not to drive too fast, and to be safe, which Daryl thought was oddly endearing and very fatherly. He'd never had anyone to tell him things like that, and while he knew a lot of people would have considered it overbearing, it only made him smile.

Hershel quickly met him at the door after he'd stepped onto the front porch and knocked quietly on the door. He ushered him into the large farm house, which was completely quiet except for their footsteps. Hershel led Daryl into the house, taking the small bag he'd been carrying and setting it next to the stairs.

"It's nice to see ya, son" Hershel said warmly, giving Daryl a hug before he realized what was happening. "I hope your trip wasn't too bad. Glad you're here. We're glad you decided to come."

"Thank you. I'm… I'm grateful you asked me to come." Daryl said. He was a little bit nervous all of a sudden, being in Beth's childhood home, with her family, all of a sudden the situation started to hit him all at once.

"Are you hungry? Do you need anything before you go to bed? You must be tired." Hershel asked.

"No… Uh… I'm alright. I might just have a glass of water… but I can get it." Daryl said. Hershel was right, he was tired. The only thing on his mind was taking a quick shower and getting to bed. Besides, he thought, the quicker he got to bed, the sooner tomorrow would come, the sooner he'd be on his way to Beth.

"I'll get it. Just a minute." Hershel said, starting towards the kitchen. Daryl took that opportunity to look around the living room where he was standing. The house was beautiful. It was obviously old, but it had been taken care of and definitely renovated, Daryl noticed, judging by some of the things that he noticed. The furniture was an interesting mix of antique and classic modern and Daryl thought it suited the house well – obviously Beth's mom was a good decorator. The house felt like a real home, like a loving family lived comfortably there. It wasn't overdone and felt warm and inviting – Daryl loved it instantly and couldn't help the little smile he felt starting to spread across his face.

Hershel wasn't gone long and handed Daryl the glass of water before picking his bag back up and started up the stairs. Half way up, he looked back down at Daryl, noticing that he wasn't yet following. He motioned towards him to follow, but not saying anything, and Daryl followed after him quickly, moving up the stairs and catching up to the older man once they'd gotten to the upstairs hallway. Daryl spotted quite a few doors, all of which were closed, and he assumed they were mostly bedrooms. Hershel ushered him to one at the very end of the hallway. He opened the door quietly, putting Daryl's bag up onto the large elevated bed. A lamp had already been turned on in the room and guessed that someone had prepared the room for his arrival.

Daryl spoke a small goodnight greeting to Hershel and Hershel left, shutting the door behind him. And it wasn't until the few moments afterwards that Daryl truly looked around and realized where he was – Beth's room.

He couldn't help himself from wanting to look at everything, touch everything – all the pictures, all the little trinkets, and all the memories from Beth's childhood and adolescence were laid out right there in front of him. Daryl went from thing to think, looking, touching, and thinking about child Beth and what she must have been like.

There were horse show ribbons, the vast majority of them first place. She'd told Daryl about showing horses, how she'd loved it when she was young, but once she was in high school she didn't have the free time to allow for much of it and the hobby and just kind of fizzled out.

There was a bulletin board filled with an incredibly large number of concert tickets. And Daryl wasn't surprised by that either – he knew how much Beth loved music.

There was a picture of her, obviously from her high school prom, where she was wearing a long yellow dress and a corsage, and a tall skinny blonde guy with a matching yellow tie stood goofily next to her. Daryl found himself oddly jealous of the nameless guy, his hands tentatively resting on Beth's hips in the picture. He knew it was insane to be jealous of a high schooler, especially because the picture was taken years before he even knew Beth. But he didn't like the idea of another guy touching Beth.

There was a framed series of pictures of Beth when she was a tiny little girl, maybe around 4, Daryl guessed, and seeing those photos made Daryl smile uncontrollably. In one photo her curly blonde hair was incredibly wild as she posed on the beach with a slightly older girl, who he guessed was Maggie, both wearing these hugely oversized pairs of clown-like sunglasses. In another she seemed to be singing – she was wearing pink cowboy boots and her mouth was open, her eyes closed, and her skinny little arms stretched out to the side, just like a professional singer would do on stage. And in the last one, she was holding a really ugly cat, that Daryl guessed had to have been a stray based on how dirty and mangy it looked, a huge grin on her face as she looked down at the cat, which, ironically was also looking up at her in that moment.

He'd looked at a lot of Beth's things, but those photos had to be his favorite. Little Beth was just as cute and sweet looking as Beth was now, and it was obvious that the spark and spunkiness she had now had come out in her at an early age. And it seemed like those three photos symbolized a lot about Beth – her love for her family, her love of music, and her desire to help others and do good things. Daryl held the frame in his hands for a long time, looking at the photos over and over, soaking in every detail. And he caught himself thinking about something he wasn't sure he'd ever thought so seriously about before in his life, children. And he knew in that moment he was really in deep – because all he could wonder was whether he and Beth's future daughter would look just like this little fireball in the photos in front of him. And he couldn't wait to find out.


	28. Chapter 28

The next morning Daryl woke up feeling good, but quickly grew anxious when he realized that it was almost 9 o'clock. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept that late and he hoped that he hadn't held Beth's family up from their breakfast. He wasn't sure what her family was like, if they showered and dressed for breakfast, and so, he decided he'd rather be safe than sorry and quickly showered and dressed before heading downstairs.

He was greeted by Hershel who was sitting on the couch, still in his bathrobe, and reading the newspaper. He smelled bacon cooking and heard the chatter of two women's voices coming from the kitchen, and he guessed that they belonged to Beth's sister and mother.

"Morning, Daryl" Hershel said, sipping on a large mug of coffee, looking up from his paper. "Sleep well?".

"Yes, sir. I… uh… Sorry I'm so late getting up. I didn't mean to hold anybody up" Daryl said, feeling incredibly self-conscious that he'd slept in.

"Nonsense, son. I just got up myself. And you needed to rest. Big few days ahead." Hershel said.

"Oh… okay. Well… good." Daryl said, looking around, still feeling a bit anxious.

"Sit down, son. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes I'm sure. Want some coffee?" Hershel said.

"Um… Sure. Thanks. I can get it." Daryl said, turning towards the kitchen.

"Annette!" Hershel called out – but Daryl was already making his way towards the kitchen.

He reached the doorway and paused, feeling a bit anxious, realizing he was about to meet Beth's mother and sister for the first time. As much as he'd started to feel at ease with Hershel, he wasn't completely sure what to expect, especially with Maggie. Beth had told him that Maggie had an extreme personality and that often was reflected in everything – she either loved or hated someone, Beth had said, and there wasn't much room for lukewarm feelings with Maggie. He hesitated in the doorway, looking in onto the two women, who were too lost in their own conversation and their breakfast preparations to realize his presence.

"Errr… um… Good morning!" Daryl said, clearing his throat a bit, and bringing both the ladies out of what they were doing and rushing over to greet him.

"You must be, Daryl!" Annette said, greeting him warmly with a hug. "Oh, honey, I am so happy to finally meet you!"

"Thanks for inviting me. I… uh… I appreciate you letting me go with y'all" Daryl said, still feeling a bit nervous. It was in that moment that he felt incredibly out of place, like he was sticking out like a sore thumb. Here he was, he thought, right in the middle of the Greene family's daily life. He'd never had anything like this before – his family had never hugged each other, eaten family meals together, or done many normal family types of things at all really. And although over the years he'd learned that many families did those types of things together, he couldn't help but get nervous when he was faced with them. What if he said or did something wrong?

"Well how in the world would we go without you! We're so happy you're here with us… glad you could come with us to go get our girl!" Annette gushed, grabbing onto Daryl's forearm and giving it a squeeze. And Daryl started to relax. Beth's mom seemed so genuinely happy to meet him and he couldn't help but smile at her comment about "our girl". He was glad that Beth's parents both seemed to approve of his and Beth's relationship and had been willing to let him into their family so easily.

But one glance at Beth's sister made his blood pressure rise again. She had a steely expression on her face, not mean, but definitely not pleasant either.

"You… uh… you must be Maggie" Daryl said to her, hoping to win some favor with the older sister, or at least a smile. "Beth's told me a lot about you…" he added quickly.

"Well… I wish I could say the same about you…" Maggie said, a bit coldly.

"Margaret Ann!" Annette said, turning towards Maggie and shaking her head, a frustrated expression on her face. "Daryl is our guest. And just because you don't really know him yet, doesn't mean you get to act like this…"

"Whatever" Maggie said, turning and heading back to the island in the middle of the kitchen, back to what she'd been working on when Daryl interrupted, putting fruit in little bowls.

"She'll warm up to you" Annette said, leaning into Daryl and speaking in a lower tone, although he was sure that Maggie could still hear. "She's real protective of Beth… and all of this going on with her has been hard on her. Just give her some time."

"Sure… I get it" Daryl responded, nodding his head as he looked down at Annette.

"We'll have lots of time to get to know each other in the car, right?" Annette said, much more loudly now, moving over to the coffee maker and pouring Daryl a cup. He wondered how she knew that he'd come into the kitchen for that – but smiled a little thinking how good of a mother she seemed to be. He was already sure she was one of those moms that just knew what others needed and acted without being asked or prompted. Beth was a lot like that too, he thought, and now he knew where she'd gotten that from.

"Can I… uh… help y'all with anything?" Daryl asked.

"Well yes you can, honey!" Annette said. "Help us carry these plates into the dining room, alright?"

"Sure thing" Daryl said. And he moved towards the counter where Annette had pointed, where she and Maggie had prepared plates with scrambled eggs, bacon, muffins, and fruit. He sat down his coffee mug and picked up two plates, carrying them into the adjacent dining room before returning for the two others. He came back a third time, only to find that Annette was carrying his cup, along with a pitcher of orange juice.

"Hershel!" Annette called out, beckoning him to the table to eat.

They all gathered around the table, Annette indicating to Daryl where to sit.

"This looks wonderful" Daryl said, trying to remember to be polite, hoping he could make it through this meal with Beth's family without making a fool of himself somehow.

Annette just smiled over at him sweetly.

"Let's give thanks" Hershel said. And at first, Daryl wasn't clear on what he meant. But then everyone was reaching their arms out to one another, holding the hands of the people on each side of them, creating a circle around the table. And Daryl quickly realized that Hershel was about to say a blessing. That was another thing he hadn't grown up with. He'd noticed Beth always said a small silent prayer before meals, but he never asked her about it and she never forced him into saying a communal one. But it was obvious in that moment that this was what they did in the Greene family home, and Daryl wanted to do everything he could to fit in, to make sure they accepted him. He took Annette's hand, and then Hershel's and bowed his head.

"Father… We thank you for all the blessings you've given us… and for all the ones we know you will continue to provide. We're thankful for Daryl… for his safe travels here and for what he means to Beth. And we ask that you bless them in their new relationship and in their new home. Please be with Beth… make her feel your presence and, Lord, when she is weak, give her the strength that we know can only come from you. Bless this family as we travel together today and tomorrow. Bring us all back safely to this home. And bless this food we are about to receive… may it make us stronger so that we can may better serve you. In Jesus's name we pray… Amen."

"Amen" Annette and Maggie said softly before raising their head back up, opening their eyes, and dropping their hands back to their laps.

Daryl wasn't sure why, but he felt incredibly moved by Hershel's prayer – his words about he and Beth had seemed so genuine, so kind, and he couldn't help but feel his heart swell at this older man, who'd so graciously accepted him into his home, into his family. Saying the prayer, his voice had been so strong, so certain, and Daryl couldn't help but hope he could be that kind of man for Beth. He looked over at Hershel, giving him a nod of acknowledgement. Hershel squeezed his hand back before letting go and reaching for his fork.

Breakfast passed quickly, Daryl thought, as he lost himself in the easy conversations of the family. He stayed relatively quiet, but spoke occasionally, making sure not to be rude. Maggie talked a lot about her boyfriend, Glenn, who he learned lived in Atlanta. After he finished college he'd taken over managing one of his father's pizza restaurants, but he'd recently accepted a position as an ICE agent with the Department of Homeland Security. He was currently away at a 22-week training program in Brunswick, Georgia and Maggie seemed to be missing him a great deal, as they only allowed visitors every four weeks. Over the course of the breakfast, she seemed to warm up to Daryl, even if just a tiny bit, and Daryl was glad that it seemed that her original frigidness towards him was starting to melt away a little.

Once everyone had finished their breakfast and Daryl helped Annette clear the table, returning to enjoy a last cup of coffee with everyone, Hershel filled everyone in on their specific plans for the next couple of days.

Early that afternoon they all piled into the family's big Suburban, Annette insisting that Daryl sit in the front seat while Hershel drove. It was a beautiful day, and Daryl found himself lost in thought during much of the trip, looking out the window at the sun and the trees and thinking about Beth. He talked to Annette for a bit, mostly answering her questions about his job and him and Beth's new home. The conversation in the car was light, and he was incredibly grateful that this family didn't seem to have the need to fill the space with idle chatter. He was also grateful that Annette didn't ask him too much about his family or his past, although it occurred to him that Beth may have warned her father that that was a sensitive subject for Daryl.

Before he knew it they'd arrived to Ocala, a small town near the center where Beth was. Maggie spotted a restaurant that she thought looked good and Daryl hadn't realized how hungry he was until they'd started eating. He insisted on paying for dinner, even among Hershel's protests, but Daryl figured that it was the least he could do for this family, especially since Hershel had booked and paid for his hotel room and had scoffed at his attempts to pay him back for that or other travel expenses. It struck Daryl, more than once, that this was something else family members did for one another – they took care of things selflessly and without worrying about the cost or getting anything in return.

They checked into their hotel rooms, and all moved on to their rooms, Daryl exchanging some short pleasantries with everyone and confirming their plans for the next morning. As he settled into his room, Daryl couldn't bring himself to do anything other than think about his own anticipation of the following day. He was nervous to see Beth – it'd been so long, seemingly much longer than the reality of the few weeks. How would things be between them? Would anything have changed? He knew they hadn't for him, but he didn't know about Beth. She'd been on a road of self-exploration and healing over the last few weeks and he couldn't help but worry that maybe there was a small chance that she'd see him and realize that she'd made a mistake getting involved with him. And he couldn't stand that thought.

He took a quick shower, turning on the TV, but only flipping through the channels, unable to actually concentrate or care about anything on the screen. He finally turned it off, after he'd realized he passed by the same shows at least four times. He'd just go ahead and get to bed, he reasoned. He knew the next day would start very early and would be long and probably emotional. He also wondered how much he'd be able to sleep the following night, not because of anything sexual, but because he knew he'd just want to enjoy being with Beth, holding her and talking to her, after so much time apart. Surprisingly he didn't have any trouble falling asleep – and the last thought that crossed his mind was that this was the last night for a long, long while that he planned on falling asleep alone.

* * *

><p>Thursday morning proved to be just as beautiful as the previous day and as Daryl stepped out of his room he was glad that the weather seemed unseasonably cool for August in Florida. He hoped maybe the weather would stay this way for a few days – he knew how much Beth loved being outside and wanted her to be able to enjoy some time outside while in Georgia without the usual oppressive heat that came with that time of year.<p>

The night before he'd spotted a grocery store next door to the hotel and had decided that he couldn't show up to see Beth empty handed and so, had gotten up extra early to head over to look for some flowers. He knew that grocery store flowers might not be the best, but they'd have to do, he thought – and he knew Beth would love them regardless, just because he'd thought of it. He was pleased with the selection of the flowers in the aisle at Publix, and quickly spotted a big mixed bouquet of yellow and white flowers. They looked so beautiful and cheerful, and a little bit like wild flowers, and he didn't have to look any further for the perfect ones for Beth.

He met Hershel, Annette, and Maggie back at the hotel in time for them to grab a quick bite from the continental breakfast, before they all cleared out of their rooms and climbed back into the car for their short trip to pick up Beth.

Daryl could feel his palms sweating as he clutched the flowers in his lap, the flowers that Annette had pitched a fit over, telling Daryl how sweet he was for even thinking of something like that. He realized it might have been too much, but in that moment he'd told Annette that he loved Beth, that he'd missed her so badly, and that he'd buy her flowers every day for the rest of her life if he thought that'd make her happy. He'd never forget the look of pride on Hershel's face when she said it, or the sweet smile on Annette's. And something about that must have resonated with Maggie, because he noticed a small smile on her face as well and he hoped maybe he was starting to break down those walls she'd built up around her.

They pulled up to the center's parking lot, parked, and Hershel turned in his seat to address everyone.

"I'm going to go in and sign all the paperwork for her release. And then I'll bring her out." He said, instructing everyone to just stay in the car.

Everyone nodded in agreement, a bit of nervous anxiety playing on everyone's face.

"And Daryl… you stay in the car. Let Annette and Maggie get out first. I know I didn't tell ya this, son, but… Beth doesn't know you're coming. I wanted her to be surprised. I'm sorry… but I think it'll be a great thing for her to be surprised that you're here." Hershel said. Daryl could see that Hershel wasn't sure how he'd react to this news, a bit of worry registering in his eyebrows.

"Okay. That sounds good. I'll wait to get out until she's almost in the car." Daryl said. He didn't mind this plan and, in fact, he kind of liked the idea of surprising Beth like this.

Hershel hurried out of the car and inside. The air in the car was eerily quiet, everyone lost in their own thoughts, oddly nervous to see Beth. Daryl guessed that the same things that rolled through his mind were also rolling through everyone else's – How would Beth be? Would she be different? What would the conversation be like on the long ride home?

Minutes passed but they seemed like hours to Daryl. He didn't know if he could wait another second until Beth came out, until he could see her with his own eyes again. But finally, right when he thought his heart couldn't pound any harder, he saw the door to the center open and a swirl of blonde hair emerge. And in that moment, he found that his heart could, in fact, beat faster. Annette and Maggie sprang out of the car and it was harder than he'd thought for Daryl to stay put, although he knew it would be worth it in the end.

Beth hurried towards her mother and sister, hugging and kissing them both and greeting them warmly. Daryl was relieved that she looked healthy, happy, and somewhat rejuvenated and she almost had a soft glow about her. She was wearing a long blousy denim top and a pair of bright yellow shorts peaked out from underneath, her hair pulled up into her signature top knot. And Daryl had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. But he was desperate for her now, to hug her, kiss her, and tell her he loved her. Finally, the three women were moving towards the car, with Hershel trailing behind.

And just as they reached the front of the car, Daryl opened the door, climbing out with flowers in hand and moving into Beth's view. He'd never forget the look that registered on her face when she saw him – it was a mix of shock and absolute joy. And before he knew what was happening, she was closing the space, launching herself up and into him and wrapping her legs around him. It crossed his mind that this was too intimate for the situation, given that her parents and sisters were just a few feet away. But he just couldn't bring himself to care.

"You're here…." She said, shock and surprise registering in her voice, her breath a little labored from the sudden exertion of her body. She was looking at Daryl, her face so close to his. And he couldn't help it, he had to kiss her, even if her family was standing around watching them. He didn't take it too far though, just wanting to give her a chaste acknowledgement of his gratitude that they were finally together.

She hugged him tightly, pressing their chests together and resting her head against the side of his. And in that moment Daryl knew he had to tell her, he couldn't wait another single second.

"I love you. I love you so much, Beth" he whispered into her ear, sure that only she could hear him. He didn't mind that her family knew that, but he wanted to share that with just her, wanting to savor that precious moment between the two of them. And even though there was already absolutely no space between them before, he swore in that moment that she squeezed him even closer into her, almost melding them into one.

"Don't ever let me go" she said into his ear. And Daryl knew that he never would.


	29. Chapter 29

Daryl was glad when Annette abdicated her spot in the backseat so that he could sit next to Beth. It seemed silly, he knew, but now that she was back, back with him, he couldn't bear to be away from her, even by just a couple of feet. Somehow he felt like if he wasn't touching her, wasn't holding her close to him, that somehow this wasn't real, that he was imagining it all. So when they slid into the backseat together, her sitting in the middle, he leaned against the door but pulled her up against him, his arm draped around her back and around to her arm. She settled into him willingly and he felt like, for the first time in weeks and weeks, that he could finally breathe freely again.

He knew he couldn't be with her all the time, they'd both be back to school and work on Monday – but Daryl reasoned that he had 4 days where he could be as close to her as he wanted and he didn't plan on letting her out of his sight, except maybe to shower. Although maybe not, he thought to himself, and he smiled at the mental image that thought created. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing created by the thought, he realized suddenly he'd gotten a little aroused and Beth's hand on his thigh wasn't helping.

She seemed to have noticed too because she gave him a little squeeze and when he looked up she had a little mischievous grin on her face and she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. He shook his head at her, trying to tell her to cut it out – he couldn't deal with getting a huge erection right here in the Greene family car, surrounded by Beth's parents and with her sister just inches away, sitting next to Beth on the other side. Things had been going too well with Beth's family and he didn't want to mess it up – and hadn't she already almost gotten him in trouble with Hershel by writing him that smutty little letter?

Luckily Maggie was looking at her phone, seemingly engrossed in whatever she was reading. Beth seemed emboldened by that though and was still eying Daryl, grinning wildly as she inched her hand closer up his thigh. Her movements were so slow that he guessed Maggie didn't notice but it only took Beth a moment to reach dangerous territory. He thought she'd stop. She wouldn't do that here, right? But she didn't seem to care and at the last moment he grabbed her hand lacing his fingers through hers and moving their joined hands onto her leg, away from his, away from his erection which Beth had been incredibly close to touching. She smirked, shifting closer to him and eventually putting her head down firmly onto his shoulder, while his arm around her subconsciously squeezed her closer. He tried to shift a little too, not just pulling her closer but also needing desperately to get his body to calm back down.

She was going to be the death of him, he thought, for the millionth time this week. He wasn't sure he minded, though. He knew most guys would love to have a gorgeous blonde vixen like Beth and how could he ever complain about her wanting to touch him? He thought back to the letter she'd written. Unlike the other letters she'd sent, which he'd read and reread over and over again, he'd only read the last one once. A part of him wanted to read it again and again, but the other part knew that it would only serve to make him painfully aroused – and he couldn't bear to be that way now without Beth there with him.

The first part of the drive was eerily quiet. Other than some very basic and general questions that Annette and Maggie had asked Beth everyone remained fairly silent. And while that was okay with Daryl, mostly because it allowed him and Beth to touch and snuggle and whisper little things to each other, it was clear that the silence came from anxiety. No one knew how to act or what to say – and so, they'd chosen to stay mostly silent, afraid an awkward question might cause Beth to have a bad reaction.

He wasn't sure why but he didn't feel that way at all. Yes, he'd worried that he wouldn't know how to act when he was back with Beth. But things between them were just as they were before, maybe better even, Daryl thought, since they'd spent so little time together as an actual couple before Beth had left. He couldn't help but stare at her now, cuddled into his side, seemingly so content and happy – he knew he'd do whatever he could to keep her that way. She really was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and he still had no idea why she wanted to be with him, loved him. But he wasn't complaining. No, he hoped she'd never wake up and see how much better she could do than him – and he'd work every day to be more like the man she deserved.

He and Beth talked softly to each other for most of the trip. Daryl tried to speak softly, although he supposed that didn't matter much. He and Beth were technically living together now and although they didn't talk about anything too intimate, he knew they didn't really have much to keep secret anyway.

They talked about how much they'd missed each other and about their excitement about living together when they returned home, although Daryl had to hold his tongue and not spill the beans about the new house. He was so excited for her to see the house, with all the furniture from her parents and the little things he'd done to try to cobble together a sense of home for her. Beth told Daryl about a couple of the friends that she'd made at the treatment center and that they'd discussed getting together outside of the facility. Daryl suggested that maybe they'd all like to come to the beach for a weekend and Beth seemed to really like that idea. He told Beth about how his job had progressed and how the project they'd been working on was nearing completion and that Tyreese would be telling him the following week about what the next project would be. Daryl was also excited to tell Beth that, despite his need to have time off and flexibility in his schedule over the last couple of months, Tyreese had been very pleased with his work and had mentioned a potential for a better opportunity for him if things continued to go well.

Beth and Daryl talked to each other about everything they'd been doing, everything they'd been thinking and feeling over the weeks they'd been apart. But the one thing Daryl omitted from the conversation, the one thing that has happened while Beth was gone that he just couldn't bring himself to tell her was about Merle. He feared the worst about his brother – past experience had shown him that nothing was ever okay with Merle for very long before the shit hit the fan again. And he couldn't put Beth through that, although he knew that she was too sweet to understand – he knew that if he told her that she'd encourage him to try to go see Merle, to give him a chance even though he didn't deserve one. And while he'd given that some thought, knowing that the Greene farm was no more than 20 minutes from where Merle was most likely staying, he just wasn't sure that seeing him was a good idea. But it plagued his mind nonetheless.

Daryl was surprised how quickly the hours passed as they made the drive back to the Greene's home. He guessed it was because he was so caught up in Beth, talking to her and just enjoying her being near him again, that he didn't think anything about time. They'd only made one quick bathroom stop about halfway home, but it seemed to Daryl that only a few minutes had passed since then when he started to recognize their surroundings, knowing that they were back in Newton County, and nearing the end of their trip. They'd made it almost back home before Hershel suggested they stop for some lunch. Beth seemed particularly excited about that and asked if they could eat at a certain place, which she told Daryl had always been one of her favorites. Everyone, of course, obliged her request to eat at the local diner she'd suggested, and after only a few more minutes in the car they arrived.

The 5 sat down at a table and quickly ordered. Daryl was surprised when Beth ordered an incredible portion of food, even by her standards. Everyone else eyed her too, but she waved off their stares, saying how nice it was to have a choice of what she'd eat and that she wanted to have some of her favorites from the place while she was in town. Daryl noticed now from looking so intently at her over the last few hours that she seemed to have gained a bit of weight. Not much, Daryl thought, definitely no more than 10 pounds, but she was so tiny that any weight gain was obvious. Daryl thought that she could probably stand to gain a bit more, but her face was just a tad bit fuller and somehow Daryl thought her chest looked a little fuller too. He didn't mind, clearly, thinking that it was actually a good thing, but wondering what had caused it. He reasoned it was the good food at the facility that she'd written him about, or maybe that she hadn't been running since she was there.

After ordering they fell into an uncomfortable silence and Daryl didn't know what to do to change things. Hershel seemed to be the only one willing to say much of anything but Daryl had learned that Hershel generally guarded his words – he wasn't a man to say 3 sentences when 3 words would do. And with every silent moment he could feel the tension between everyone rising and Beth growing more and more uncomfortable.

Finally she exploded. "What's wrong? Why are y'all acting so awkward?" she asked, looking at each of her family members, although not at Daryl who was sitting right next to her, clutching her hand under the table.

They all looked at her in what appeared to be stunned silence.

"Now Bethy..." Hershel started, but Beth interrupted.

"No daddy! I'm serious! Y'all have been walking on eggshells since you picked me up. What is it? I'm not made of glass! I won't shatter into a million pieces. What are you so afraid of?" Beth said, her frustration registering in her voice.

Beth scooted her chair back and stood up, a wild expression on her face. She pushed her chair away, seemingly planning to move away from the table. But everyone stayed silent – and Daryl just couldn't take the tension. He stood up, catching Beth's arm, not forcefully, but just enough to get her to turn back towards him. He pulled her a little closer to him, holding onto her arms firmly, trying to reassure her through both his words and his actions.

"Hey... It's okay. I think we all just... Well... We didn't know what to expect. We just wanna make sure you're okay" he said to her in a low but reassuring voice and leaning in towards her a little as he spoke.

"You've been fine, Daryl. But you're the only one. I know I just spent 6 weeks in a facility because I have depression... because I have some problems. I get that… I do… But I'm not so fragile that everyone can't act normal" Beth said, looking only at Daryl but still talking loudly so that her family could hear.

Daryl could tell she was really frustrated and he wanted to help – but he was a little bit at a loss for what to do or say to help her calm down, or to make her understand that her family was just anxiety, just wanted her to be okay. He couldn't think of what to say, but hoped to convey to her that he was there for her, would support her – so he kept his eyes locked on hers, then eventually moving his forehead down to rest on hers.

Beth closed her eyes and she seemed to be trying to do some sort of exercise to calm down - Daryl noticed that she seemed to be very focused on her breathing and she was counting, although silently while still moving her lips. When she opened her eyes, she seemed a bit better.

"I need to get some air for a minute. But I'll be okay. I'm okay. Just need a minute." she said, her voice very calm. She looked at Daryl briefly, with a look that he couldn't quite place before starting to move away from the table and towards the front door.

Daryl didn't know what to do then. Should he follow her? Or did she really just need a few minutes alone? He didn't want to do the wrong thing but he was worried about her now. This didn't seem like her – her mood has just violently turned all of a sudden, but then she'd regained her calm just as quickly. She had already walked away, but the look on her family members' faces gave him his answer – they thought he should go after her. Hershel gave him a small nod, and he started moving towards the door, trying to close as much space as he could between himself and Beth.

He was rushing a bit and perhaps not paying as much attention as he should have been. Just as he neared the door, it swung open, missing hitting him only by an inch or so. And he was greeted with a face and a voice that he knew better than anyone's.

"Well… look who it is! Hey there little brother! I guess the cat's outta the bag now – so much for you living out of state!" Merle said, jabbing his elbow into Daryl's side.

Daryl couldn't breathe, he couldn't think straight. He looked back at Beth's family, all of them now staring strangely over at him and the rough looking man in front of him.

"Daryl?" Beth's voice sounded, coming from behind Merle, from a place outside that Daryl couldn't quite see.

Merle turned around, following the sound of Beth's voice until his eyes landed on her, a smirk rising on his face.

"Well who's this here, baby brother? You too embarrassed of ol' Merle to introduce him to your pretty little lady, huh?" Merle said.

Beth's eyes grew wide, maybe wider than Daryl had ever seen them, as she heard Merle's words and recognized the situation at hand. Daryl had told her all about Merle, at least generally. He'd tried to spare her a lot of the gruesome details. But now here they both were, in the same place, something Daryl had hoped would never happen.

And the only word that passed out of Daryl's lips in that moment, as he tried to figure out what in the world to do, reflected exactly how he felt in that moment.

"Fuck!" Daryl said under his breath.


	30. Chapter 30

"Daryl?" Beth repeated herself, this time her voice a bit louder and more frantic. She finally came into Daryl's view, having come up right behind Merle, who was still standing in the diner's doorway looking back and forth between Beth and Daryl. Daryl noticed very confused look on her face, along with something else, perhaps fear.

Daryl brushed passed Merle, putting himself between his brother and Beth, placing his hands on her shoulders and steering her away from the door, further into the parking lot.

"Baby… I don't know what's going on. He's out of jail. He called me last week… I didn't tell you and I'm sorry… but I've tried to cut him out of my life. He's bad news…. he's not a good guy. And I'm sick of him dragging me down. I don't want you being around him. I don't even wanna be around him." Daryl said quickly, his voice low, trying to keep his words just between himself and Beth. He knew he needed to give her the quickest summary he could of what was happening – Merle wouldn't give him much time to talk to her, he was sure, before he'd be interfering.

Beth's face softened a little, maybe because of the sheer panic in Daryl's face. He knew he probably seemed dramatic in the moment, but no one else knew Merle like he did, knew that he was only capable of bad things. This situation was probably completely foreign to Beth, Daryl realized – he was sure she wouldn't really understand why someone would cut themselves off from their own brother. But he knew that's what he had to do. He just didn't know how he'd get rid of Merle now – it was one thing for him to tell him over the phone that he wasn't in the area anymore, but another thing entirely to see him standing right in front of his face, and while he was with Beth and her family no less.

"Hey… hey… " Beth said in a comforting tone, in a voice that surprised Daryl. She was rubbing his arms up and down in a comforting way, obviously trying to soothe him. How could she be so calm? He wasn't sure, other than knowing that she didn't know Merle, didn't know what he was capable of. "It's gonna be okay, Daryl. He's your brother. He's not going to hurt you… hurt us, right?"

"Not physically no… but… he's just bad news, Beth. I don't want him in my life. I don't want him in our life." Daryl said. He was serious now, feeling confident about what he needed to do, but still frustrated that he was even in this situation. Beth was looking at him with confusion, but he had to make sure she understood how serious this was. "I'm serious, baby… Look… I just got ya back. Nothing's coming between us. Ya gotta trust me on this. You got to. Alright?".

"But… but he's your brother, Daryl?" Beth said, questioning Daryl, not fully sure of what he was saying.

"Baby I know. But I've tried. It's no use. You've just gotta trust me. Please, trust me. Please." Daryl said. He felt like he was begging now, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was convinced that he was doing the right thing and nothing could change that.

Beth was silent for a long moment and Daryl wasn't quite sure what she was thinking. But finally she nodded her head and Daryl knew that she was conceding to him.

"You go on back inside. I'll be there in a minute." Daryl said, and Beth nodded again, starting to move passed him now back into the restaurant.

Daryl grabbed her arm before she got very far, though, pulling her back to him, into his arms. He squeezed her tight and whispered into her ear.

"I love you, Beth. I'll always take care of you first… before anything else. I love you so much, baby."

Daryl watched as Beth passed by Merle – and he was shocked that Merle didn't even try to talk to her, or worse. His eyes followed her though, and Daryl could tell that Merle was looking Beth up and down. It made him sick.

* * *

><p>Merle walked towards Daryl then, moving back out of the restaurant.<p>

"That's a hot one you got there, baby brother. Not sure what she sees in you..." Merle said, that same smug smile on his face.

"Me either" Daryl said, realizing immediately that he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"That her family in there?" Merle asked.

"Yeah... We... Uh... We're visiting them for a few days." Daryl said.

"Well what a coincidence that I ran into ya on your visit, then!" Merle said, chuckling. He emphasized "visit", as if implying he didn't believe what Daryl told him a few days prior about living out of state.

Daryl could only stare at his brother for a moment. He knew what he needed to do, what he needed to say. But it was much harder that they were face to face now. How do you tell your only blood relative that you don't want them in your life? He also knew Merle wouldn't easily accept that type of declaration. And Daryl didn't want to start something that would turn ugly. And with Merle it always turned ugly sooner or later.

"Look Merle..." Daryl started, finding a surge of confidence all of a sudden. "That girl in there... She's my whole world. I promised her... I promised her I'd always protect her. And I promised her daddy. And that's my priority. Not you. Not your sorry ass. She's my family now. So stay out of my life."

"Oh... Come on now! I'm the only one that's ever really accepted you. That ain't never gonna change and you know it. She might like ya now, but… you know it ain't gonna last. She know all the stupid shit you've done?" Merle said.

"Yeah. She does. Every bit. And she loves me anyway." Daryl said.

"But I'm your kin... Your own blood!" Merle said, his expression growing more serious with the realization that Daryl wasn't backing down.

"You are... You are my family. And you were the only thing I had for a long, long time. But now that's changed. You're my past... But that girl in there, she's my future." Daryl replied, pointing his hand in an exaggerated manner back towards the restaurant door as he mentioned Beth.

Merle looked completely shocked and was, for once in his life, rendered speechless. "You give it some time, you get your shit together, you prove that you can stay clean, stay out of trouble and we'll see... We'll see how it goes after that." Daryl said. He didn't think it was far to cut Merle off completely forever and he wasn't sure he could, either. He also guessed some of Beth's optimism had rubbed off on him - he hoped his brother actually could change, actually could live like a normal, functional person. He just wasn't going to bet on it.

Daryl didn't give Merle time to regain himself. He turned around and stalked back into the restaurant, away from Merle and away from all the trouble he'd caused him, all the heartache of his past. He was surprised in that moment how free he felt, as if he'd literally been carrying a weigh for years and years and all of a sudden he'd put it down.

And as he sat back down at the table with Beth and her family, smiling politely to them and squeezing Beth's hand in reassurance, he guessed in some ways he had put down a weight. His entire life he'd been told he was nothing, and he'd carried around that burden, all the hurts and pain of never being truly loved or cared for. But standing up to Merle, and walking away from him the way he just had made him feel like all that was behind him – and he knew now that what was in front of him, what his future was supposed to be, was made up of the people right in front of him. They were his new family, he thought. He didn't have to carry that burden anymore. Now, he thought, he could just be free.

* * *

><p>By the time they arrived back at the Greene farm it was midafternoon. The trip had taken a lot out of everyone, both physically and emotionally, and everyone seemed in need of some rest for a while. Daryl also guessed that Beth's family, while anxious to visit with her, might still be a bit anxious after her outburst at the diner. And he was grateful to finally be able to be with Beth alone, even just to be away from the prying eyes of others.<p>

He carried her things into her room and she followed him happily, closing the door and then flopping down onto the bed after stepping out of her flip flops. Daryl had to fight the desire to jump on top of her, seeing her lying there, her body all spread out and open. There will be plenty of time for that, he thought to himself, and he settled to lay down next to her, pulling her up against him and snuggling into her. He'd be completely content with just this, he thought, just holding her, just knowing she was right there with him.

But Beth had other ideas. Daryl's sweet cuddling and innocent kissing soon turned into Beth rolling him over and climbing on top of him, straddling him. She kissed him wildly and deeply – and for a few moments he was totally lost in it. He realized then that maybe it'd been for the best that Beth had gone away early in their relationship. If she had to go, he thought, maybe it was good that it was before he'd really even gotten used to this type of closeness. Sure, they'd spent the weeks after the drowning cuddling together, but their physical relationship had really only gotten serious starting the day of the incident with her uncle, July 4th. Daryl had missed Beth, but mostly her companionship, not as much the physical. But now, now that he was seeing this part of Beth, he thought, he wasn't sure how he'd ever manage to be away from her like he had for those six weeks. He hoped he'd never have to find out.

They kissed for a long time, just touching and feeling and loving being with each other. But when Beth started to unbutton his shirt, Daryl realized her intentions. He grabbed her wrists, stopping her from undoing any more than the couple she already had. Her eyes were wild with lust but also with a growing confusion. She looked at Daryl for an explanation and he thought for a moment about just throwing caution to the whole damn thing.

But he had to be strong. As much as he wanted Beth, wanted to make love to her, show her how much he loved her in that way, he couldn't. It wasn't right, he'd thought, and he knew that was still true. He knew he'd promised himself that he'd make them wait until they got back home. And he was committed to it, even if was incredibly hard.

"Plenty of time for that" he said to her sweetly, trying to explain his actions to Beth as she still looked at him with confusion.

She kissed him again. This time, she let her lips travel, first moving down to his chin, then all the way up his jaw line and finally finding his ear.

"I don't want to wait..." Beth whispered, punctuating each word for emphasis.

Daryl almost lost his resolve. But he reminded himself that he had to be strong – he had self-control right? Couldn't be make it a couple of days?

"Baby, we can't. Not here. It's... It's weird. I just can't. But when we get home..." Daryl said, trailing off, letting Beth gather the meaning of what he was saying.

She pouted a bit, looking down at him from where she still sat on top of him.

"It's just a couple of days, baby." Daryl said, secretly loving the fact that when he talked about home it was the same home as Beth's – they were living together now and he couldn't wait for them to be there and for their life together to really start.

"I know... You're right..." Beth said, scooting back a bit and then laying herself down onto Daryl's chest. "I just wanna be with you again... Wanna feel that close to you. Like the night we made love. I wanna make love. I've been thinking about it all the time."

"Oh?" Daryl asked. Beth was running her fingers along the exposed part of his chest. He couldn't help but love this, the easiness between them.

"Yeah..." she said, sighing and then looking up to meet his gaze. "I just... I just love you so much..."

"I love you too, baby girl. And as soon as we get home... I'm gonna show you just how much" Daryl said, wiggling his eyebrows a bit, a big smile spreading across his face.

"Yeah?" Beth asked, and Daryl could instantly tell that he'd gotten her attention. She was intently watching him now, but the look on her face had changed a bit. "Wanna tell me how you're gonna show me?"

Daryl knew he was playing with fire now, knew he shouldn't continue this. Beth was asking him to talk dirty to her, but to what end, he wondered. But then Beth was sitting up, pulling her shirt over her head, exposing her bare breasts which Daryl could definitely tell now were actually a bit bigger. And as if that wasn't enough she starting touching them, touching herself. And his resolve started melting.

Before he knew what he was doing, he was sitting up, propping his back up against the headboard and then bidding Beth towards him.

"Come here..." he said. And she did, planting herself in between his legs, her back against his chest.

He replaced her hands with his own, remembering the first time he'd done this to her when he'd made her cum in the kitchen. That was perhaps the only good thing that Merle had ever taught him – that girls with smaller breasts could sometimes orgasm just from touching them, their smaller breasts being much more sensitive than a woman with larger ones.

"Tell me..." she pleaded. And he couldn't deny her, not when she was pleading with him. He'd never been one for doing this, for dirty talk, but he told himself to just let go, to just say the things that he normally reserved only for his mind.

He continued his worship of her breasts, dipping his head down over her shoulder so he had a better view but could also whisper right into her ear.

"Well... I'm gonna take these beautiful tits of yours..." Daryl started, squeezes Beth's breasts tightly for a moment, continuing to rub the palms of his hands around each one. "And I'm going to lick them... and suck them... Until you scream, baby. You are so gorgeous when you cum."

Beth had started to move against him now, grinding her hips slightly into the bed. Daryl was sure she was starting to get wet. She hummed out her please with Daryl's words, so he continued.

"I'm gonna titty fuck you, baby. I want to fuck your titties so bad... Will you let me?" Daryl said, breathing his words into Beth's ear.

"Yes... Yes... You can..." Beth answered, her words coming out in spurts, almost like a chant.

"And I'm gonna lick that beautiful pussy of yours." Daryl said in a low tone. He paused to gauge her reaction. And when she moaned loudly, he continued. "Gotta try to be quiet, baby… you don't want anyone to hear us do you? If you get to loud I'll have to stop…"

"Don't… I'll… I'll be quiet…" Beth said, almost begging.

"You gonna be a good girl for me, baby?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah… Yeah… I'll be good…" Beth panted out. She was desperate now. And Daryl knew just what to say to send her spiraling towards the edge of her climax.

"I can't wait to taste it...Taste you, baby. I'm gonna make you cum over and over and over... Just licking you up and down, swirling my tongue around your clit. And sucking it. You gonna scream for me baby girl?"

"Ooooooohhh yes" Beth managed to moan out.

"Yeah? You like that?" Daryl asked. He didn't need the affirmation, but he wanted to hear her.

"Mmmmmmm. What else?" Beth asked. She was getting more heated, now Daryl noticed, her movements rhythmic as she rocked a little against him.

"I'm gonna tie you to the bed... to our bed... And see how many times I can make you cum... See how long you can take it. I'm gonna pound into you, baby. You said you wanted me to fuck you..."

"Oh God I do!" Beth gasped out, her breath hitching as her arousal grew with Daryl's continual work on her breasts.

"You do?" Daryl asked. Again, knowing the answer but wanting her to say it.

"Yes" Beth managed to respond between gasps and moans.

"Tell me what you want... I wanna hear you say it" he said.

"I want you... I want you to fuck me, Daryl" Beth said.

"How hard?" Daryl asked, egging her on, seeing her excitement building through this little game of cat and mouse.

"So hard..." she managed.

"You're so sexy, baby" Daryl said. He still couldn't get over this, that he could have this with Beth, that he could have her this way. "You want me to touch your pussy don't you baby? You want it so bad right now, don't you?"

Beth's head fell back and she arched her back against Daryl, obviously even more aroused at the thought of what he was saying.

"Tell me baby..." he said.

"Yes. Touch me." Beth said, panting.

"Where?" Daryl asked, grinning into the side of her face as he kissed her ear as he also spoke into it.

"Daryl..." Beth started to say.

"Tell me, baby. Say it. Where do you want me to touch you?" Daryl said, running his hand down onto her stomach, teasing her.

"My... My... Pussy" Beth said and Daryl knew that for some reason, in that moment, she felt shy about saying that.

"Mmmhmmmm..." Daryl hummed out into her ear with pleasure, letting the vibrations of his hum run through her. He was going to give her what she wanted, but he was going to make her squirm a little first.

He took his time, teasing her, one hand playing with the waist band of her shorts and the other still moving over her breasts.

"You remember that first night I touched you, baby? I know you wore those tiny white shorts just to tease me. God, you were so wet that night. And begging me to touch you. I wanted you to cum so bad baby."

That memory seemed to have the desired impact on Beth – she started rubbing her thighs together desperate for friction, for the pressure to appease her growing arousal.

He finally unbuttoned her shorts, thankful that they weren't tight. And in one solid movement he ran his hand down slowly into her shorts, into her panties, and onto her wet core. Beth gasped loudly and Daryl worried for a moment about the noise she was making. But it was too late to worry too much, he thought.

"You're dripping, baby. God... So wet for me. How'd you get so wet?" Daryl whispered.

"You..." was all Beth could manage to say, writhing under Daryl's fingers on her most intimate part.

"That's right, baby. I will always make you wet. But I'm the only one. Is that what you want? Want me to make your pussy wet? Every day?" Daryl asked. He loved this, talking to her like this, making her respond. It had made him unbelievably hard, but his thoughts weren't about that. Somehow his arousal only drove him to want to please Beth, to make her feel as good as he possibly could.

"Yes, Daryl... God, yes." Beth said. She was getting close now, Daryl thought, and he wanted so desperately to help her fall over that edge.

"You gonna cum for me baby?" He asked, pushing a finger inside her, listening to her loud moans which now almost seemed like little cheers, egging him on.

"Oooohhhh" Beth moaned loudly, nearing the edge of her climax.

"You're so tight, baby. Oh I love touching you... Just wait til I'm inside you again baby... Til this is my cock in your pussy, not my fingers. I want you to cum, baby. Cum on my hand." Daryl urged, hoping his words would push her that extra bit she needed.

Beth was thrusting her pelvis into his hand now and Daryl loved every single second, loved being this close to her, seeing her working herself towards that climax she was seeking.

"That's it baby girl..."Daryl said. "Fuck my hand. Ride my hand, baby. You're so close..."

After only a moment he could feel her tightening and then cumming, hard, all over his hand. She groaned loudly, too loudly he thought, over and over, riding out her pleasure as Daryl encouraged her on with little affirmations.

When he was satisfied that he'd milked all the pleasure he could from her he pulled his hand out, and pulled her against him, letting her relax into him, tired from her body's exertion. Daryl hummed into her ear in satisfaction, feeling so close to her in that moment. Everything else, everyone else was a million miles away then – it was just he and Beth now.

"Feel better, baby?" He asked.

Beth just shook her head in agreement, turning her head just enough to see him out of the corner of her eye.

"I love you" Daryl whispered into her ear.

Beth turned a bit in his arms, looking at him full on now. She had a smile on her face that could only be attributed to someone who'd just had a really good release and Daryl loved that he'd put it there.

But she turned her focus, suddenly intent on returning the favor, cupping Daryl's still hard erection through his pants.

And for the second time in a short span Daryl found himself grabbing her, stopping her from doing anything further. He shook his head to her. But it was obvious she didn't understand.

"What's wrong?" she asked a bit of sadness registering on her face and in her voice. "Don't you want to...?"

"I do. But, that's not what this is about." Daryl said, cupping her face in his hands, looking at her intently.

"Oh..." Beth said, still not seeming to understand him. "But don't you... Want to feel good?"

"It's not about that for me, Beth. Yeah, I love how you make me feel. You drive me so crazy sometimes I think I might just die. But I'd trade it all just to make you happy... to make you feel good." Daryl said, dragging his thumbs over her cheeks sweetly. "It's not tit for tat, okay? I did that because I wanted to... Because I love you. Not so I could get something in return."

Beth just stared at him in shock. That was okay, though, he thought. She didn't have to completely understand – and he knew maybe she'd never been with someone like this before, someone that put his own pleasure above his own. Unfortunately many guys didn't seem able, or maybe they just weren't willing. And he knew he wasn't this way before. But loving Beth had changed him, made him see things differently, a bit more clearly perhaps.

He slowly pulled them both down onto the bed, cuddling Beth from behind tightly as she lay on her side. He pulled a blanket from the foot of the bed up and over them, covering them up to their waists. They both were tired, needed to nap for a little while. He was just glad they could do it together.

He kissed her neck, nuzzling into her closely as she melted back into his body. She'd just closed her eyes and Daryl hoped that she'd soon find the peaceful rest that she desperately needed.

"I love you. You're the most important thing in my life. I can't promise you that things will always be easy, but just hold onto me and I'll get us through. Just hold on..." Daryl whispered into her ear before closing his own eyes and drifting away, content and happy and so love that it almost hurt.


	31. Chapter 31

Daryl woke up to find that Beth was no longer lying with him. He looked at the clock on the bedside table, realizing that it was much later than he'd realized. He must have been more tired than he'd initially thought, he supposed. He heard the shower running then and realized that must be where Beth was. He felt momentarily tempted to go in and join her, her room did have its own adjoining bathroom after all – but ultimately he thought better of it. He didn't think he'd have any resolve at all if he and Beth were both naked and wet. When they got home, though, he thought to himself, all bets were off.

He knew it seemed silly, but he missed Beth. He'd been away from her for so long that now that he'd had a taste of being next to her again he didn't want her to be away from him, even for a few minutes. He knew he'd have to get over that – next week would come too quickly and they'd be apart all day during the week. But the nights and the weekends, he thought with a smile on his face, he planned to make up for lost time then. He knew that he'd felt puppy love before, that need to be with someone all of the time – but he couldn't help but think that this was different, that he would never get enough of being with Beth. And if she'd let him hang around, he'd feel like this about her for the next 50 years, maybe longer.

He heard the water turn off and decided that he might also shower off before dinner – he wasn't sure of what Annette had planned, but he never felt very clean after traveling and he'd been wallowing around in Beth's bed for hours now and wanted to be his best for Beth's family. He gathered a few of his things together, waiting for Beth to come out so that he could go in. But when the door opened, the last thing on his mind was his own shower. Beth had mostly dried off, but still had a thin sheen of dampness covering her skin. She'd toweled off her hair, but it was flowing wildly down her back. And she was completely naked. Daryl's breath hitched and he realized one very important thing in that moment – while he'd committed himself to his own ideas about not having sex with Beth until they got home, he'd grossly underestimated her tenacity in making him change that resolve. And it was crumbling, right before him, as he raked his eyes over her body, not able to stop himself from looking at every detail of her beautiful body.

He started to say something, but she shook her head, moving slowly over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her naked body into his.

"Beth…" he said, a bit of warning in his tone. But again, she shook her head, this time putting her fingers over his lips, silencing him.

"Don't talk… just feel… just love…" Beth said sweetly, almost in a whisper. It struck Daryl how Beth's expression was completely different than it was earlier – then, she was lusty and needy, but now she was calm, gentle, and loving. She slowly backed him towards the end of her bed, and once Daryl had gotten to it, he perched there, pulling Beth closer to him, situating her in between his legs. She kissed him then, slowly, gently – she didn't seem to be in a hurry, and for some reason that turned Daryl on even more than what had happened earlier.

She reached for the hem of his shirt, not bothering to finish unbuttoning it, just lifting it, along with his undershirt, up over Daryl's head. She slowly and carefully ran her hands all over his chest, something Daryl realized in that moment that she'd never been able to do before. She touched and explored, softly caressing his skin and placing sweet little kisses all over his chest, his arms, and his stomach. Daryl didn't have any idea where this was going, what she intended, but he wasn't sure he cared anymore – he was so turned on, so unbelievably hard, especially when Beth started kissing along the line of his jeans, that he knew he was gone, that he was just putty in her hands now, for whatever she wanted from him.

Beth kissed her way back up to Daryl's face and kissed his lips again, tenderly, slowly, but deeply. And then she pulled away slowly, and moved away from him, going back the same way she came. She went towards her closet, pulling out a couple of things and started dressing as if nothing in the world had just happened, like she hadn't just given Daryl the biggest erection of his life. When she noticed that he was staring at her, his mouth slightly open in shock, she waltzed back over, standing right back in the spot she'd been earlier, fully clothed now, and wrapping her arms around his neck again.

She smiled at him, a bit mischievously now. "You wanna go downstairs soon… see what mama has planned for dinner?"

Daryl didn't respond for a while, still slowly pondering what had just happened. He was sure his face indicated his confusion because as he looked down at Beth, her smirk grew little by little. She was playing a dangerous game, Daryl thought – but he also couldn't complain about it. He'd been the one to lay down the rules after all, right?

"You said you didn't want to. Those were your rules, right?" she said, trying to act coy, but Daryl knew better. She knew exactly what she was doing, what she'd been doing to him, getting him all worked up and then cutting him off.

"It's not that I don't want to, Beth…" Daryl said, barely managing to speak now.

"I know. But we'll wait. That's what you want… so that's what we'll do." She responded sweetly. He believed her, in that moment, that she wanted to do what he'd told her he wanted – but part of him also still thought she was trying to tease him, trying to show him the error of his thought process, trying to test his resolve.

"I… uh… I'm gonna take a quick shower" Daryl said, moving away from her, passing her and heading quickly into the bathroom. He needed to get away from her for a few minutes, he thought, it was the only way he could calm down, the only way he could make it out of the situation without stripping her clothes off and making love to her. He needed that shower now more than ever, and not because he needed to rinse off, but because he needed to stand under the cold water, needed to get his body back under control before he could even dare to think about heading downstairs to the other members of the Greene family.

* * *

><p>Daryl and Beth's time at the Greene farm went by much more quickly than Daryl anticipated. By Friday night he found himself almost wishing they could stay a bit longer, although he also was anxious to get Beth back to Hilton Head, back to their new home, to the surprise there that awaited her.<p>

She'd taken every possible chance she could to tease him, something he'd have never guessed she would have been so incredibly good at. Daryl had always thought she was so innocent seeming. But after he'd gotten that letter from her, which he somehow still hadn't talked to her about, he'd realized there was a whole other adventurous side to her that he'd hadn't seen before. But he looked forward to discovering more about that side. Thursday night, after they'd spent most of the evening talking with her parents and Maggie, visiting and catching up and just enjoying each other's company, she'd come to bed in the tiniest nightgown that Daryl had ever seen – and his underwear had grown much tighter when he noticed that she wasn't wearing any panties. He resisted her as best he could, but she seemed to take every little moment she could, every single opportunity when no one else was watching, to do or say something that would make his pants bulge and his mind go crazy. She'd walk by him and grab his ass, or whisper something unbelievably dirty into his ear. And every chance she had to be naked in front of him she took, knowing the reaction it had on him, the physical evidence of it apparent almost immediately.

Daryl found himself loving spending time with the Greenes, who had seemingly taken him into their family already as if he'd been a member all along. Hershel seemed to have accepted what he'd told him over the phone during that first phone call they had – he appeared completely confident that Daryl would take care of Beth, that he'd be there for her no matter what. Annette seemed equally fond of him, fussing over him and doting on him as if he was one of her own children. And even Maggie had come around and warmed up. They'd found a commonality in their love for Georgia football, and he'd even helped her with her car after she'd mentioned that it was giving her trouble – Daryl fixed it for her, even refusing to let her pay him back for the parts he'd gotten in town.

Thursday night they'd all discussed plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, with Daryl excitedly agreeing to come with Beth to spend the holidays there with them. Annette had insisted on it, telling Daryl all about the traditions they had. Maggie would be bringing Glenn then too, since he'd be out of training by then and Daryl looked forward to meeting him – he wondered if he'd have any similarities with him, given how different Beth and Maggie seemed to be. No one really asked Daryl about his family, even after the run-in with Merle at the diner, and he was grateful that he didn't have to talk about it, didn't have to tell them about his family and all the problems and pain he'd experienced throughout the years. He guessed Beth might have mentioned to them that he'd had a painful childhood, but wasn't sure. Regardless of why they didn't ask, he was glad, hoping to truly leave all of that in the past. He felt like he'd made the last step in truly doing that when he'd stood up to Merle at the diner the day before.

On Friday Beth showed him around the farm, which was bigger than he'd initially realized. They rode around on an ATV, since the farm had so much land and Beth wanted to show Daryl everything. And he couldn't get over the feeling of how great it felt doing that with her, just riding around talking and laughing and having fun together. It felt so normal, Daryl thought, and at times he almost felt afraid that he was just having a dream and that he'd wake up and all of this would be gone. But slowly, over time, Beth and her family had clawed their way into his heart, and for the first time in his life he felt truly content and happy, sure that he knew what the future held for him and Beth.

He'd planned a surprise for Beth for their last night in Georgia. It was something he'd toyed around with in his mind before he'd left Hilton Head to come here, but he'd wanted to wait until he was back with Beth, wait until he was absolutely sure he was ready to do this. He had something very special to show her, and something incredibly serious to ask her about – and while he was nervous about it, he hoped there'd be no doubts in Beth's mind when it came time for her to answer him, for her to tell him how she felt about the question he planned to ask. He'd already cleared his plans with Hershel, wanting to make sure it was okay for him to whisk Beth away on her last night in town.

He wanted to surprise her, so he hadn't mentioned it, not until after dinner, right before he'd planned for them to leave. He told her to go and grab a sweater, knowing how cold she often got and how unseasonably cool it had been the last few days. When he led her out to his truck, she asked a million questions – but he didn't answer any of them, simply telling her that he had a surprise for her and that she'd have to wait until they got there to find out. The questions didn't stop as they drove and Beth chattered continually during the 30 minute drive, Daryl remaining mostly quiet. He knew he shouldn't feel nervous, knew that he should be confident in Beth's feelings for him, but he couldn't help but be a little bit anxious nonetheless.

They drove into the darkness, the area around them growing darker as the sun set and as they moved farther and farther away from the commonality of houses and street lights. The farther out they got the more Beth questioned where they were going – but Daryl was concentrating intently on the road in front of them, looking for the dirt road that would lead them to their destination. He finally spotted it and pulled the truck onto the road. They bounced down the road for a ways, trees scattered on both sides of the road, before finally coming into a clearing, where Daryl pulled the truck off of the road and into some grass.

"Where are we?" Beth asked for what seemed like the millionth time in the last half an hour.

"You remember when I told you about my dad's land?" Daryl asked Beth timidly. He'd told her about that the first week they met, and wasn't sure she'd really remember.

"Of course, Daryl. This is it?" she asked.

"Yeah… this is it. It's a special place to me… even though I haven't been able to do what I'd hoped with it. But… I… uh… I wanted to bring you here to see it." Daryl said, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden. "Wanna sit in the back?" he asked.

"Sure!" Beth said, and before Daryl could even reach for his door handle, Beth had already hopped out of the truck.

"Hold on, baby!" he called out to her as he hurried out of the truck, reaching into the backseat and pulling out some things he'd stashed there. He pulled a large fluffy quilt out and moved to the back of the truck, putting the tailgate down and covering the bed with the quilt. He went back to the back and pulled out some pillows and a blanket, throwing them over the side into the truck's bed, garnering a mischievous look from Beth.

"I thought we could lie out here and look at the stars for a while…" Daryl said, trying to clarify his intentions. "I've never been anywhere else where the stars look so bright."

Lastly, he pulled out a bottle of wine and some glasses, and a small little box that he quickly stashed into his pocket until he was ready for Beth to see it. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves, before walking around to the back of the truck. Beth had already climbed up onto the bed and was lying on her back, her head slightly elevated by a couple of pillows.

"Comfortable?" he asked, chuckling a bit as he saw that she'd already made herself comfortable, spread out in the bed. He sat the wine and glasses down onto the tailgate and busied himself with opening the bottle.

"It's so beautiful here, Daryl… I love this" Beth said, not looking at Daryl, but up at the sky.

And he just stood there for a moment and watched her, admiring her beauty in the moon light and loving the excited expression on her face. She almost looked like a child, all bright-eyed with delight, and Daryl was reminded of her innocence in that moment. She was much younger than him, and the world hadn't been nearly as harsh to her as it had to him. And he knew in that moment that he'd do everything in his power to keep it that way. He'd shield her from the world, protect her, watch over her and make sure she had the happiest life. He'd do that for as long as she'd allow him to. And he hoped that'd be forever.

"It sure is…" he mumbled.


	32. Chapter 32

Daryl watched Beth for a long time. He wasn't sure exactly how long – time wasn't important in those moments. He wasn't in a hurry and he wanted to take his time with this. He wanted to do right by Beth. What was important was that he knew where his life was going. Finally, for the first time in his entire life, he thought, he had something to be happy about for the future.

Beth either didn't seem to notice him watching her or she didn't care. She seemed so caught up in looking at the stars, the joyful look on her face akin to a child on Christmas morning, that she seemed to have faded into her own little world. And that perpetuated Daryl's desire to stare. He had the sudden need to make her feel like this all of the time. And he knew he'd do anything to make her this happy for the rest of his life.

He finally snapped out of his thoughts about her, now almost feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. He instantly remembered the wine and quickly opened it.

"Want some wine?" he asked, realizing that his voice sounded a bit unsure. "I got Chardonnay... I know it's your favorite". He was already picking up one of the glasses to pour the wine into when Beth quickly answered, stopping him.

"Oh... Um... No. Thanks. But... I don't really want any right now..." Beth said, obviously a little unsure of herself too in that moment.

Daryl was surprised by her response. He'd never known Beth to turn down wine. In the weeks that he'd stayed with her she almost always had at least one glass with dinner every night. She never had more than a couple of glasses, but Daryl had quickly learned then that when he went out to buy wine for them that stocking up was a good idea – one bottle would never last long. So it seemed odd for her to turn it down now.

"Okay. No... Uh... Don't worry about it..." Daryl said, pouring a glass for himself and re-corking the bottle. He thought briefly that maybe he shouldn't have any either, but he desperately needed something to calm his nerves. He was nervous about what he had to ask Beth and hoped a little wine would calm him a bit.

He downed his glass of wine quickly, needing a little liquid courage and knowing that Beth was too fixated on looking at the stars to worry about what he was doing. He placed the glasses and wine bottle back into the truck quickly and crawled into the bed next to Beth. She smiled over at him tenderly as he pulled her towards him, moving her to sit in between his legs, with her back against his chest, just as he'd done so many times before. Daryl loved sitting like this with her, loved feeling her just melting into him. He thought about the very first time they'd sat this way together, all those weeks ago on the couch at her uncle's. Their relationship had been so uncertain then – and even as it seemed to gain ground, for so long it was so innocent and so undefined. Even then, though, Daryl realized now, he'd known he couldn't live without her. And that feeling had only grown more and more over the last couple of months.

They sat there for a long time, Beth leaning into him, occasionally pointing up to something in the sky and commenting on it.

"So you like this place, then?" Daryl asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them for some time.

"It's beautiful…" Beth said, still seemingly amazed by their striking surroundings.

"You're beautiful" Daryl said, kissing the side of her head and squeezing her tightly. He knew it probably sounded cheesy to say that, but he couldn't help himself.

Beth suddenly shifted a bit, turning so that she was facing him now, her butt still on the truck bed, but her legs stretching out and around Daryl's waist, although not tightly. They were face-to-face now and Daryl knew that this was the moment he'd been waiting for. He didn't quite know how to start, and wasn't confident in what words to use, but he thought he'd just jump right in, just speak what was on his mind, on his heart, and hope Beth understood.

"Beth… Baby, I brought you here because I have something I wanna ask you…" Daryl started to say. Beth looked at him wide-eyed, obviously anxious and unsure about what was happening. He almost lost his nerve looking at her, scared that the look on her face was a reflection of fear – but Beth's expression softened, and she took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers and smiling at him shyly.

"What is it, Daryl?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

Daryl was at a loss for words now and he was so nervous. He was sure that Beth could feel how sweaty his hands were, but he knew he had to try to tell her, knew he needed to do his best to express himself.

"Beth… I've never felt about anyone like I do about you. It scares me. It's almost like… like my heart actually aches because I love you so much. Like… like if I lost you… I'd… I'd just die. And that scares me worse than anything ever has in my whole life. And I've been through some scary shit…." Daryl said, his voice trailing off. Tears were swelling a bit in his eyes, and while he knew he was losing control of himself, of his words and his emotions, he didn't care – he loved Beth and he wanted her to know everything. "I need you… I need you in my life. And not just now… but always."

"Daryl…" Beth said sweetly, reaching out her hand to wipe some of his tears away with the pad of her thumb. She was smiling sweetly and he hoped, prayed, that was an indication that she wasn't turned off by what he said.

"I love you so much, baby…" he said softly.

"And I love you too. More than anything… more than I ever imagined I could love someone." Beth said.

Daryl dug into his pocket, finding the tiny wrapped box and pulling it out, handing it to Beth without an explanation. She just looked at it momentarily, a little bit of surprise registering on her face. Daryl realized in that moment that maybe she thought he was proposing – and while part of him wished that he was, he'd known they weren't ready for that. Although, for him, he hoped it wouldn't take long. He wanted to commit to Beth, forever, and he wanted that with her as soon as he knew they were ready to make that step.

"Open it…" he prompted, and Beth slowly started to tear away the paper, uncovering a small black box with golden detailing. When she pushed the top back, she gasped, and then flung her arms around Daryl's neck, hugging him and whispering into his ear.

"It's so beautiful… Thank you." Beth said.

"Baby, I know it's too soon for me to ask you to marry me. But… well… I want you to promise me that one day you will. I'll wait as long as you want. But I want to be with you… forever… and I'll do anything to make sure of it. I'm giving you my heart Beth. That's what this represents… It's my heart. And it's yours. Hell… it's yours even if you don't want it… you've got it already. I think you've had it since the day we met." Daryl said, and he helped Beth take the tiny necklace out of the box and put it around her neck. She fingered the charm on the delicate gold chain, the heart-shaped charm that had a beautifully engraved D in the middle. And now she was the one that had tears streaming down her face, although there was still a sweet smile on her lips.

Daryl kissed her sweetly and then started to kiss her face in the places where her tears stood. She started giggling a little at that, smiling at his sweetness, taking both of his hands in hers and holding them to her chest.

"Don't cry, baby girl…" Daryl said, a little concerned at all the tears.

"They're happy tears…" Beth said smiling before leaning forward and capturing Daryl's lips, kissing him again and again.

"So you like it?" Daryl asked shyly.

"I love it. And I love you." Beth said. "I'll take care of your heart, Daryl. Please take care of mine. It's yours too. I guess it has been for a long time, huh?" They both giggled a little, seemingly both thinking back to the strange events that brought them together, their somewhat instant attraction to one another, and the tumultuous events that had plagued their relationship. "And I do wanna marry you too…" Beth said. "And I don't wanna wait a long time… maybe just… maybe just a little while?" Beth said, seemingly shy all of a sudden, looking down at their hands, unable to make eye contact with Daryl.

He reached out to touch her chin and brought her face up to meet him, bringing her eyes back to his own. He just looked at her then, seriously, trying to let her know that it was okay, that he would wait for her, no matter how short or how long of a period of time she wanted.

"I'll wait, okay? I'll wait…" Daryl finally said.

And Beth seemed much more sure of what he was reassuring her of now, because the smile that crossed her face was huge, beaming through the darkness of the night and lighting up the very innermost part of his soul.

"I wanna ask you about something else too…" Daryl said, a bit of his own nerves rushing back all of a sudden. He'd cleared one hurdle that he wanted to tonight, but there was one last thing – and he was scared about how Beth would respond. She just nodded at him, indicating to him that she was ready to talk about whatever it was he had in mind.

"This place… I… well… it's still such a special place to me. And now… well… it's even more special, now that I've brought you here… now that I've committed myself to you here, told you I want a future with you." Daryl said. He was finding it hard to find the words again, he thought, but he knew he needed to push past his anxieties.

"I love it here…" Beth said, looking around at the sky, at the beautiful clearing, and the trees on the edges of where they currently sat.

"Do you love it enough to want to move here?" Daryl asked. Beth's face registered with surprise, and Daryl realized his mistake, realized he needed to be more clear about his question. "Not now, baby… I know you've gotta finish school. And… well… there's nothing here yet. But… maybe in a year or so? After you've finished school… and, we may have to come down a lot of weekends, but… Well… I think we can do it. If you want… Only if you want… I never meant to stay in South Carolina… and, well… I know you said you love it there, and if you want to stay, I'll stay. I'll be wherever you are. And it won't matter. But… well… I always thought I'd build a house here… build a life here. And your family is close… And… well… now they're like my family. It just seems too good to be true, Beth. We could move here. We could have a life… a perfect life that I never thought possible. I want that. I know it's a lot to ask, but…" Daryl said, realizing he was droning on and on, but not finding it in himself to care. But then Beth interrupted.

"Yes!" Beth said, cutting off his drabbles. And, at first, Daryl wasn't sure what she was saying.

"Yes? Yes what?" he asked, confusion registering in his voice.

"Yes that's what I want. It's what you want… and I love it here. It's the most beautiful place. And… well… it'd be a new start for us. I think I need that… a new start in a better place. And this is home… for both of us. We should raise our family close to our family. It's what I want too, Daryl. It's perfect… Perfect…" Beth said.

"Yeah?" Daryl asked shyly, now being the one that was avoiding eye contact, although he wasn't sure why.

"Yeah…" Beth whispered out, scooting closer to him now, and wrapping her arms around Daryl, pulling herself flush with him, her head against his shoulder. Daryl heard her sigh softly and then speak again. "Are you sure you're real? Sometimes I think all this is just a big dream…"

"I think that a lot too…" Daryl said. And it was true, that was something he thought about all the time. He'd never had anything truly good in his life that lasted – and sometimes he feared the day he'd wake up and realize all of this with Beth wasn't real. But it was. He knew that now. And he was going to hold onto her as long as she let him. Forever, he hoped.

They sat there for a long time, Beth holding onto him and him holding her back. They whispered to each other, mostly silly little things and expressions of love. Daryl noticed that occasionally Beth would play with the necklace he'd given her, always smiling a bit as she touched the heart that represented his own that hung around her neck. And Daryl felt like he could die just like this and his life would have been absolutely perfect.

"Make love to me, Daryl…" Beth whispered.

Daryl wasn't sure why, but he was surprised by Beth's words. It hadn't occurred to him that she might want that now, although he wasn't sure how he hadn't thought of it himself. He had been so fixated on getting Beth here and on asking her what he wanted to, that he hadn't thought of this. And he knew, in that moment, that he wanted it too, more than anything. In fact, how could he not make love to her right now? They'd just committed themselves to each other, making plans for the future, and now he wanted to be with her more than he ever had before. He'd planned on them waiting until they got back to Hilton Head for this – but there was no reason in the world why they couldn't share this together now, right here in this special place that somehow simultaneously represented Daryl's terrible past and his beautiful future.

He nodded to her then, and kissed her sweetly, helping her to undress before undressing himself. When they were both naked, he lay down next to her – he felt no shame or awkwardness is his state, and he could tell that Beth didn't either. Neither of them were self-conscious, both just consumed by their love for each other. They touched and kissed and just lay together for a long time, whispering to each other, the way that only lovers do. It occurred to Daryl that this was much different than the first time they made love. That had been amazing, and he'd felt like it bonded them together forever the way that he knew sex was supposed to. But this, this was true intimacy, he thought – and he felt like there was nothing that separated them, no secrets or worries or insecurities.

He slowly moved on top of her and she helped him to position himself over her before he slowly pushed into her. And he had this overwhelming feeling like he'd never had before. Being with Beth, making love with her like this, it made him feel like he was home, like he was finally where he belonged, like all the puzzle pieces of his life had finally been pushed into place.

This wasn't like anything he'd ever experienced before and, although he didn't need it, it only reaffirmed to him that Beth was the person he was meant to be with. This wasn't about lust, and it wasn't filled with need, although he had plenty of that stored up for her – but it was about love, about passion and togetherness. And he couldn't get over how amazing it felt to have this with someone. It was something he'd never imagined. It made him emotional, and while that made him feel incredibly vulnerable, he couldn't bring himself to care.

Their movements were incredibly slow, both staying quiet, both knowing that no words needed to be spoken in these moments. They looked into each others eyes the entire time and Daryl was sure that Beth could see into his soul and could see the love he had for her. He could see her own love for him as he stared into her big blue eyes and he hoped that it would always be this way between them. Daryl paid particular attention to Beth's breathing and to the movements of her body and he adjusted himself accordingly, his only needs in those moments were related to her, wanting to push her into that pleasurable place that he knew would make her toes curl and her breath catch. They toppled over the edge together, reaching that place simultaneously, both breathless and sated, but unwilling to let go of the other. Daryl rolled off of her, worried about crushing her – but he wasn't willing to truly let go and he wrapped his arms around her as she folded herself into him.

They lay there for a long time, quiet, their breathing patterns becoming one. Daryl wasn't sure if Beth had fallen asleep and although he was incredibly tired his mind was so full that he knew he couldn't sleep. All he could do was think about this beautiful girl, this beautiful place, and the beautiful life they had.

And he cried. And for the second time that night Beth reached up to wipe away his tears.

"Don't cry…" Beth said sweetly.

"They're happy tears…" Daryl said, echoing Beth's own words from earlier.

He wasn't sure he could be any happier than he was then – but he planned to spend his entire life trying to be, with Beth.


	33. Chapter 33

Daryl sat at the breakfast table, a bit tired from a long night of staying out with Beth – but his mind was full of all those sweet moments they'd shared together and he was more excited than ever to think about the future that they'd have together. He still couldn't believe that Beth would give him the time of day, yet alone love him, but he'd learned not to question it, to just be grateful and hopeful about what they had together.

He listened as Beth gushed to her family about the necklace Daryl had given her, as well as the conversation they'd had about eventually moving back to the area. She left out all of the intimate details, but somehow still told them enough for them to get the message, the message that they were planning a long-term future together. He didn't mind her sharing it all with them like this – he'd already spoken with Hershel about it, and he knew Beth was close to her family and would want to talk to them about it all. He smiled listening to her talk about it, glad that she seemed so excited, so hopeful about what was to come for the two of them. Her mother seemed over the moon to hear Beth and Daryl's news, and even Maggie hugged Beth, telling her how happy she was for her.

They all ate and talked, enjoying one last meal together before Beth and Daryl were to head back to South Carolina. Beth must have been incredibly hungry, Daryl thought, because it seemed like she just couldn't get enough to eat. Since the first day they'd met, when they at lunch together at the beachside grill, he'd known that Beth had an incredibly big appetite for such a small person. But he'd noticed over the last couple of days that it seemed that she was eating even more than she had before, something he hadn't really thought was possible. Annette kept graciously offering Beth more and more food, always seeming to have prepared much more for meals than they'd ever actually eat – but Daryl guessed Beth was just trying to enjoy the good home cooking from her mother while it lasted.

As Daryl watched Beth eat breakfast, all of a sudden, he had a strange string of memories from the past few days, all converging into a highlight reel of sorts – and all those of those memories strung together brought him to one insane-seeming conclusion. Was Beth pregnant? His mind was swimming thinking about it now, and the conversation around him melted away to the screams of his own thoughts.

Daryl couldn't be sure, of course, but it all added up now. The mood swings, the slight weight gain, especially in her breasts, her complaints about being nauseous, her increased appetite, her unwillingness to drink the wine he'd offered her the previous night – it all lead him to one shocking conclusion. Even her horniness, which Daryl would never complain about, might be related, he thought. He wasn't sure that was a true sign, but he'd heard guy friends over the years talk about their wives or girlfriends being super horny during pregnancy.

He was suddenly consumed by those thoughts, and he couldn't think about anything else. Maybe it wasn't true, but everything seemed to point to that. Maybe it was something else – it probably was, he told himself. Because if Beth was pregnant, if she was having his baby, wouldn't she have told him right away? That was the type of relationship they had, even since the day they me, they'd told each other everything, didn't keep secrets, didn't need to hide things. And last night, when they'd talked about their future, when he'd asked her to keep his heart safe, and they'd talked about moving back to Georgia, building a life together – wouldn't that have been the time to tell him, Daryl questioned?

So why wouldn't she have told him, he wondered. Unless, well, it wasn't his, he realized. And while he knew that thought shouldn't have struck him so much, shouldn't have bothered him because he knew it couldn't possibly be true, for some reason it did. Beth had been depressed, had been lost in herself and needing comfort for weeks and weeks – maybe what he'd given her hadn't been enough, maybe she'd turned to someone else?

And now he was the nauseous one.

* * *

><p>Beth and Daryl said their goodbyes to Annette and Hershel before climbing into Daryl's truck and starting their drive back to South Carolina. Daryl was polite but he'd been lost in his own head since his realization at the breakfast table – he couldn't stop thinking about whether Beth was pregnant. Maggie had left right before them, wanting to head off as early as possible to see Glenn during one of his few visitation weekends.<p>

As they drove down the road, Daryl was lost in his own mind, but Beth chattered away. Daryl heard her voice, but couldn't follow what she was saying and couldn't bring himself to care. He was full of every possible emotion he could imagine – fear, uncertainty, anxiety, but also maybe a bit of hope and joy. He couldn't explain those latter feelings – he wouldn't have guessed that he'd be excited about being a father right now, but for some reason, there was a small part of him that liked the idea, liked the idea of he and Beth being parents together, bringing a little person into the world that would represent a little part of each of them.

He told himself he needed to get himself together, needed to figure out how to bring this up to Beth. He wanted to ask her about it, but he also didn't know how, and didn't know how to bring it up without it being incredibly awkward. He'd convinced himself that she was definitely pregnant, but he didn't want to breech the subject in a weird way – and in the very rare chance that she wasn't, he didn't want to alienate her, especially by suggesting that she'd gained weight, was eating a lot, and was moody. He didn't know any woman that would take kindly to hearing that from a man, especially the one she loved.

He let his mind drift back to what Beth was saying, telling himself he at least needed to wait until they got home to talk to her. That'd give him time to get his mind right about it all, and figure out exactly what to say. Beth was talking about the apartment, the one where Daryl used to live, and where she thought they would be living together. She had all these ideas, apparently, about how to change things around to give them more room, as well as changing the "feng shui", whatever that meant. She was rattling through some of her ideas, seemingly not looking for any response or affirmation from Daryl, talking about paint colors and comforter types and all sorts of other things that Daryl didn't even understand. And while at first Daryl thought it was incredibly cute that she was so excited about all of these things, even though the place she was thinking of wasn't actually the placed they'd be living, it started to drive him a bit crazy that she was probably pregnant, hadn't told him, and was just chattering on about all these useless things that were far less important than the real conversation that they needed to be having.

And ultimately, he reached his boiling point.

"Are you pregnant?" Daryl interjected, while Beth had been debating out loud the merits of robin's egg blue and conventry gray. Daryl tensed a bit after hearing himself, realizing that he'd almost erupted with his words, a tone of frustration and anxiety in his voice that he didn't want to be there.

"What?" Beth asked, turning to look at him with a confused look on her face. Her tone had changed quickly – while she'd sounded so carefree and hopeful before, she all of a sudden mirrored Daryl's tone, which he realized was his fault.

"I… I need to know, Beth. Are you pregnant?" he asked. He sounded a bit calmer now, having gotten control of himself enough to change his tone. His heart was racing though, maybe worse than it ever had in his entire life. He needed to have an answer from Beth, whether it was affirmative or not, and he'd deal with the consequences of his sudden outburst later.

"Daryl… What? Why would you ask that?" Beth said, seemingly confused by Daryl's question. Daryl was instantly just a tad calmer – he knew Beth wouldn't try to play dumb, not about something this serious, so her confusion gave him a clue to the answer to his question.

"I… I dunno. I just… There's just been some things… I thought…." Daryl said. He didn't know what to say, he didn't want to list out all of the things he'd noticed, didn't want to upset Beth or make her feel self-conscious.

"Like what?" Beth asked. And that was the worst possible thing she could have asked him. How did he word all of these things in a way that wouldn't hurt Beth's feelings?

"Well… you didn't want to have any wine last night… and… well… your boobs are bigger… a lot bigger actually…" Daryl said, thinking carefully about his words. He laughed, not intentionally, but because of his nerves, and maybe a little bit because he was thinking about her breasts.

"Yeah…?" Beth said, a little incredulously. And Daryl was worried now that he was in deep trouble with her.

"And… well… your appetite seems really large, even for you… and, um… you complained a couple of times about feeling sick on your stomach…. And you've been so unbelievably horny… It… It just all seemed like too much of a coincidence, Beth" Daryl said. He wanted her to understand why he'd asked this, wanted her to see that he wasn't crazy for thinking this.

"I… I guess that's true…" Beth said, a bit contemplative now. He could tell that she was really thinking about what he was saying, hopefully understanding what he'd seen and how he'd misunderstood.

"Damn, baby… Look… I'm sorry… I… I just didn't know what else to think…" Daryl started to say, reaching across the seat towards her, taking her hand and pulling it up towards his chest. He knew he needed to apologize, even though he really hadn't done anything wrong. He shouldn't have just blurted his question out like this, though, and he was really sorry for that. He saw a place on the side of the road where he could pull off, a little dirt road where he pull his truck off a bit into the woods a little ways, giving them a little time to get this all straightened out.

"Daryl… Where...? What are you doing?" Beth asked, confusion registering on her voice as he pulled the truck off of the road.

"I just wanna talk to you for a minute. I wanna give this my full attention. It's important." Daryl said seriously. And Beth seemed to agree, she just nodded her head, shifting a bit in her seat to face Daryl a bit more, although she was looking down into her lap, a solemn expression on her face.

"I… uh… I know some things have been different…" Beth said meekly, still looking down shyly. "I… I know I've gained a little weight… and that I've been moody… maybe seemed a bit off even…".

"You haven't seemed off, baby girl… Just… just a few things seemed kinda out of place. And it all hit me this morning. That maybe you were… ya know… pregnant. I'm sorry… I guess I just kinda freaked out all of a sudden." Daryl said.

"Yeah… Well… I'm not… pregnant." Beth said. She sounded sad and Daryl couldn't quite figure out what she might have been thinking. "It's… it's my medicine. It causes a lot of those things you mentioned. I… I guess I should have mentioned it to you earlier. I'm just… I'm kinda self-conscious about it all… it's all so new. And the weight gain makes me feel kinda anxious. I was… hoping you just wouldn't notice it."

"Come here…" Daryl said softly, using the hand that was holding hers to pull her towards him, signaling to signal to Beth that he wanted her to slide over into the seat next to him.

And cautiously, she did, removing her seatbelt and sliding over next to him, while he took off his own seatbelt and reached towards her, pulling her until him.

"Baby… You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And a few points won't change that. Hell… you could weigh 300 pounds and I'd still love you." Daryl said sweetly into her ear. "I… well… I actually think it's a good thing you gained a little bit. You're so tiny, baby… still are."

"Yeah?" Beth asked tentatively.

"Yeah… And… Well… I can't complain about your boobs being bigger, that's for sure." They both giggled a little at his comment and Beth squeezed him just a little tighter. And he knew everything was okay between them.

They sat that way for a few quiet minutes, both obviously deep in thought, with their chests pressed together and Beth's legs having been pulled across Daryl's lap. Beth's chin rested over Daryl's shoulder and his leaned his head against the top of hers.

Daryl's emotions were still all over the place, but he felt better knowing that Beth wasn't mad at him. He knew things happened between couples, knew they'd argue or disagree or have uncomfortable conversations, but he couldn't stand the thought of her being unhappy with him, or unhappy at all really. And he felt a bit of relief knowing that Beth wasn't pregnant, knowing that he wasn't going to become a father just yet. But it wasn't the kind of relief he'd thought he'd feel in this moment. Sure, he was glad that they wouldn't have that added issue to deal with so early on in their relationship, and he especially glad for Beth, knowing that a pregnancy would have carried with it some concerns about how she'd finish school and graduate, and what the next few years might look like. But Daryl also found that he was, somehow, a bit disappointed too. It shocked him when he recognized that emotion in himself in those moments, realizing that at least a small part of him liked the idea of him and Beth bringing a little life into the world. Even the thought of it now brought a small smile to his face.

"We could've…" Daryl said, finally breaking the silence between them, pressing his lips into the side of her head and holding them there, taking in the feel and the smell of Beth. Beth looked up at him, a questioning look on her face. "We could've done it… you could've been pregnant. It would've been okay, ya know?"

Beth pulled away from him a little, just enough so that she could look him in the eye. "You're not just saying that?" Beth asked shyly.

"No, baby… I'm not. I want that… want it with you. I know we haven't talked about it… and the time might not have been ideal. But it would've been okay." Daryl said, trying to reassure her.

And Daryl had barely gotten those words out of her mouth before Beth's mouth was crashing into his. Her hands came up to grab the sides of Daryl's face as she stroked his lips with her tongue, causing Daryl to moan softly as he opened his mouth for her, allowing their tongues to collide. Beth eventually crawled over into Daryl's lap, straddling him, her knees resting on the seat of the truck on either side of his hips, her body hovering slightly over his. Daryl pulled away then, unsure what was happening, and feeling overheated and breathless from their intense moments of kissing.

Beth slowed things down, but continued kissing, placing little kisses all over Daryl's face, neck, and ears. "How did I get so lucky?" she asked in between kisses. "I love you so much, Daryl."

"I love you too, baby girl…" Daryl said, simply enjoying this moment.

Beth stopped her kisses and looked at Daryl, intently in the eyes, her arms draped loosely around his neck. "I do wanna have kids, Daryl… with you." she said, still staring into his eyes.

"Yeah?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah…" Beth affirmed, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "Just… maybe not right now. I wanna finish school first. And… and get married." Beth seemed a little shy all of a sudden, and Daryl couldn't help but think it was because of the mention of marriage.

He brought his hand up to her face, sweetly and softly brushing his thumb over one of her cheeks. "That's what I want too" he said softly, a reassuring tone in his voice. Beth smiled at him then, and he knew she'd gotten the message – he would do whatever she wanted, as long as he could be with her. Beth was still so young, Daryl reminded himself, and if she wanted to wait 10 years to have kids, that'd be okay with him.

"That doesn't mean we can't practice though, right?" Beth said, biting her lip and running her hands through Daryl's hair. She had a bit of a mischievous look on her face now and Daryl couldn't help but kiss her.

"As much as you want, baby…" he said in between kisses.

He hadn't intended his comment to mean that they should start practicing right in that moment, but Beth seemed to have other ideas. And Daryl knew well enough that once Beth got aroused, once her mind and her body started down that road, there was no stopping her. She was starting to grind her hips against his now, and before he realized it, he was running his hands up her legs and under the bottom of the sundress that she was wearing, his hands seeking out the soft skin of her butt cheeks. But when he reached his destination, he was in for a big surprise, although one he could definitely learn to love.

"No panties?" Daryl asked against Beth's mouth, smiling at her ever-increasing daringness.

Beth didn't respond, but he could feel her smiling against his lips as she continued kissing him.

"What am I gonna do with you? You're so naughty sometimes…" Daryl teased as she starting kissing around his face again. She kissed over towards his ear, plunging her tongue into his ear, eliciting an involuntary groan from Daryl.

"What are you gonna do with me?" Beth asked seductively. And Daryl knew there was no stopping this now. He continued rubbing her backside, loving the feel of her bare skin against his hands, the excitement of the situation contributing to his own arousal. Beth was only growing bolder and wilder with her actions, grinding down on Daryl with more and more force and speed and kissing him with increasing fervor.

"Tell me what you want, baby… Tell me." Daryl finally managed to say. He wanted to give Beth exactly what she wanted and he loved hearing her talk to him, hearing her say exactly what she wanted.

"I wanna ride you… just like this." Beth said, and before Daryl could get over the shock of what she'd just said, Beth was grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling it off. That, of course, had been the only garment of clothing she'd been wearing and Daryl wasn't sure in that moment if he'd ever been more turned on in his life as he was right then. Beth was completely naked and writhing against him, all while they sat in the cab of his truck in broad daylight. And now that her dress was gone, he could see how incredibly wet she was. And Daryl felt like he couldn't be inside of her fast enough, moving his hands instinctively towards his belt, loosening it quickly.

But Beth pushed his hands away, and he was momentarily confused.

"I wanna do it…" she whined and he nodded to her as she started to unbutton and then unzip his jeans. She reached in, wrapping her hand around him and pulling him through his boxers, obviously not having the desire to take the time to actually get his jeans off. "You're so hard…" she said, stroking him up and down, using her thumb to brush over the time occasionally.

"I want you so bad…" Daryl said. He couldn't take it anymore – he needed to be inside of Beth, and he couldn't take her torturing him with her hand.

She sat up on her knees a bit, allowing Daryl to line himself up with her entrance, and in one swift movement, she sunk completely down onto him, his manhood plunging deep inside her. Simultaneously, Beth gasped and Daryl groaned. Neither of them moved for a moment, but then Beth started moving, up and then down, working to pull Daryl almost completely out of her before sinking back down and pushing him deep inside.

This was much different, Daryl thought, than the way it'd been before when they'd been together. The two times they'd made love before were slow and sweet and tender – but this, Daryl thought, was fast and messy and animalistic and needy. And the sight of sweet little Beth Greene riding him, her breasts bouncing, her back arching, her increasingly loud moans, and the sweat that started to from around her face – it was the hottest thing Daryl had ever seen. And the best part of it all, he thought, was that the only thing on her body in those moments was that tiny gold necklace he'd given her. He knew he wouldn't last long, not like this. And from his position it was easy for him to reach down to touch Beth in her most sensitive place, using his fingers to push her further and further towards her climax.

She chanted his name over and over, growing louder and louder, signaling to Daryl that she was growing close to her release. And far too soon, Daryl thought, they were both crashing into that pleasurable place together, her tightening muscles milking his release from him. Beth collapsed against him, seemingly exhausted from her exertion. Daryl could feel his cum gathering on his jeans as it ran out of Beth, but he couldn't find it in himself to move or to care.

He held her there for a long time, whispering to her as she recovered and relaxed from what they'd just done. She was sweaty and completely exhausted, her muscles seemingly spent of all their energy. Daryl was momentarily a bit relieved that she'd done so much of the work – they still had about 3 hours to drive to get home and he knew if he'd been in Beth's situation he would have needed to rest before getting back on the road. But luckily, she could rest now while he drove.

"God… that was amazing…" Beth finally said, the first words she'd spoken since their orgasms.

"Mmmmmhmmmm…" Daryl hummed out, still reeling a bit from the pleasure they'd experienced.

"Wanna do it again?" Beth said. And for a minute, Daryl thought she was kidding. But one look into her eyes told him that she wasn't – she was far from kidding now, in fact.

Daryl wasn't sure he'd recovered enough from round one to start again so soon on round two – and he also really wanted to get them home. "I'll tell you what… Let's just get ourselves home… and then… we can do it again and again and again. As many times as you want. Alright?"

"You promise?" Beth said, drawing her words out, seeming almost childlike as she grinned up at him, that now familiar mischievous look plastered on her face.

"You're gonna be the death of me, girl…" he said, teasing her.

"That's my plan…" she said in response. And Daryl knew it that moment that no truer statement had ever been spoken.


	34. Chapter 34

The rest of their drive home passed remarkably quickly, Daryl thought. They didn't talk much, but neither of them seemed to feel the need to. Beth slept off and on, her head nodding up and down and side to side. Even when he spotted a tiny bit of drool around the corner of her mouth, Daryl couldn't help but think she was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. He eventually suggested to her that she lay down in the seat, and although Beth argued that it wasn't safe because she'd have to take off her seatbelt, she eventually gave in, lying down with her head resting on Daryl's thigh. He rethought suggesting it to her then, thinking maybe she'd been right about it being unsafe, although he meant it in a completely different way than she had – he wasn't sure if he could safely focus on driving with Beth's head only inches from his crotch.

As they crossed the bridge going back into Hilton Head, Beth had woken up, although she was still lying down, obviously over her fears about safety – her back was against the truck's seat and her head looked up at the ceiling. Daryl hoped she'd stay like this just a bit longer. He'd imagined that once she saw that they'd diverged from the way back to his old apartment that she'd start to ask questions. But if she couldn't see the road, couldn't see the divergence, then he could really surprise her, he thought.

And lucky for him, she was so caught up in her own world, thinking and talking out loud, about everything and nothing in particular all at once, that he was able to pull right up to their new house without her even questioning him once. A big smile spread across Daryl's face and he let Beth finish what she was saying before he laid his arm down around her waist and bent down closer to her, giving her a chaste kiss.

"We're home, baby girl" he said, smiling at her sweetly, anxious for her to sit up and see where they were.

She sat up slowly, stretching and groaning a little. It took a moment for her to realize that she was in an unfamiliar place, but once she did she turned quickly towards Daryl.

"Where are we? I thought you said we were home?" she said. She sounded very confused, but not upset, which pleased Daryl. He had been dealing with this nagging fear that this type of surprise might make Beth mad, for whatever reason – she'd been a little bit unpredictable over the last couple of days and he hoped that she wouldn't be angry with him for deciding something so major without her.

Daryl just smiled at Beth, letting a few moments pass between them as he tried to figure out the right words to tell her where they were – but he could tell that those moments only served to make Beth more and more anxious.

"Daryl?" she finally asked, her eyes widening a little as she prompted him again to answer what she'd asked.

"This is home, Beth. This is our new home." he said simply, slowly.

She seemed confused for a moment, obviously pondering over the words Daryl had just spoken.

"Whaa… What? What… what about your apartment?" she asked.

"I got rid of it… I moved us here. I wanted us to have plenty of space. I wanted us to have a fresh start. Somewhere that'd be ours together." Daryl said, reaching out for her hand, pulling it in towards his chest and holding it there, just like he'd done so many times before. Beth's face started to soften and he pulled her further into him, almost cradling her against him. "You deserve everything… and I'm gonna do everything I can to give you that" he whispered into her ear.

Beth smiled up at him and then kissed him, gently and sweetly. "You are the sweetest man…" she said through her kisses.

It took every ounce of self-control he had, but Daryl pulled away. "Let's get inside… I wanna show you everything… I wanna get you settled."

Daryl went around to the other side of the truck and got Beth out, telling her he'd come back out to get their stuff later. She was looking around in wonder, taking in all the details of the house, the big front porch, and the surrounding yard.

"Do you like it?" he asked, already knowing her response.

"It's beautiful, Daryl. Are you sure we can afford this, though? I don't make much during school and…" she started to say, but Daryl cut her off. He was standing behind her, hugging her from behind as she looked at the house.

"You don't worry about that, baby. You leave it to me to take care of you." he said. She turned a bit to look at him, a look of concern registering on her face.

"But Daryl…" Beth said.

"But nothing. Just let me take care of you, okay? I've got it. You don't need to worry about anything. Please?" Daryl said slowly, hoping his pleas would be agreeable to Beth.

She looked at him for a few moments, shaking her head, as if she couldn't believe what he was saying, or maybe wishing she could talk him out of it. But she didn't argue anymore. She finally just nodded her head, her silent agreement to Daryl's proposal. He pulled her towards the house, up the stairs onto the porch. He used his key to unlock the front door, pushing it wide open, but then turning back to Beth, blocking her access to the doorway.

"Daryl! I wanna go in… I wanna see the inside!" Beth said excitedly.

And she'd hardly gotten those words out of her mouth before he'd scooped her up, carrying her bridal style, and turned towards the doorway.

Beth squealed at her sudden loss of footing, but realized quickly what Daryl was doing. She threw her arms around his neck and giggled. "Daryl! We're not married…" she said, laughing.

"No… not yet" he responded, giving her a sly smile. "Still feels right…"

Daryl carried her through the doorway and sat her back onto her feet gently. He turned the lights on and grabbed Beth's hand, leading her through the house, going from room to room. She was so excited to see all the familiar furniture and Daryl told her about how her father had offered it to them, and had even brought it up from Georgia, helping him move and get the house set up so he could surprise her. Beth seemed shocked that he and her father had pulled off such a major surprise – and the look on her face made him happier than he thought was possible. All the time and energy and money he'd spent to make this place a true home for he and Beth had been worth it.

The last place he showed Beth was their bedroom. He ushered her in, but quickly told her he was going to get their bags. He had to take two trips, leaving Beth's bags right inside next to the door before going back out to retrieve his own. He left all the bags in the entryway, planning to come back for them later on, before going into the kitchen to get him and Beth some sodas from the refrigerator. He headed back to the bedroom, wondering if Beth was still there, straining to try to hear where she was in the house, but not hearing a sound. When he got to the doorway of the bedroom, though, he saw her, poised right in front of the bed, and completely naked.

* * *

><p>Daryl knew he should have expected this – he'd anticipated that she'd basically assault him as soon as they got to the house. And he'd promised her, he reminded himself, earlier in the day that she could have whatever she wanted from him when they got home. And now they were home – and he wouldn't deny her anything. Not now, he thought, and not ever.<p>

He moved towards her quickly, and almost as soon as he reached her and wrapped his arms around her, she was kissing him desperately, her mouth messy and wet as it met his. Her body was so warm, so beautiful, and Daryl felt frantic, as if he couldn't get enough of her, as if he wanted to somehow consume every part of her, every inch.

Beth unbuttoned his shirt hurriedly, her hands noticeably shaking a bit as she clawed at him, trying to remove everything that separated them. His hand wandered down her body, cupping her breasts and then eventually finding their way to her butt, with one snaking around to her womanhood, stroking a finger up and down her slit. Daryl couldn't believe how wet Beth was, maybe the most he'd ever felt before and all he wanted in that moment was to taste her.

He backed her up to the bed and laid her down there, so that her legs were still hanging over the edge. She raised her hips up, obviously so aroused that she was desperate for any touch, even just the slightest contact. He slid both of his hands down her sides and all the way down her legs, to her feet, before sliding them back up the insides of her legs, pushing her legs far apart and kissing her thighs. He finally moved his hands up to her bottom, cupping it on both sides, lowering himself down to her small mess of curls. Daryl could smell her now and it drove him wild. He licked his lips, looking up and into Beth's eyes as she writhed around, still desperate for contact.

"Baby…" he hummed, "You smell so good. I'm gonna taste you… That what you want?" He was still looking into her eyes and he could see the want in her face, just as he was sure she could see the exact same thing in his own. He'd been here before, he thought momentarily, but everything had gone horribly wrong then. Now, though, he had no real fears of that – he knew Beth wanted him and he wanted her too.

"Yeeeeeesss..." Beth moaned out and it didn't take any more reassurance for him before he was plunging his tongue down onto her, licking her from top to bottom, lapping up that delicious moisture and making her moan.

Daryl circled his tongue around her swollen clit, sucking it lightly into his mouth, applying the perfect amount of pressure. Beth was moving against his mouth and he was suddenly struck by the feeling of how intimate this was. He'd never had that kind of feeling about this with anyone else before, thinking more about the pleasure than the closeness of the connection. And for Daryl, all of a sudden, it wasn't enough. He ran one of his hands down to the back of Beth's thigh, lifting it up, opening her up further to him as he drove his tongue deep into her opening. Beth gasped and called out his name over and over and he could tell that she was right on the verge of losing control. Daryl replaced his tongue with his finger, dipping it inside of her, still licking her as he moved his finger in and out. And it didn't take long before Beth was screaming his name, contracting and cumming, arching her back as her head dug into the bed before she collapsed into a heap.

Daryl took that opportunity to take off the rest of his clothes, coming to lie down next to Beth on the bed. She looked over at him with the most satisfied look on her face, laughing for a moment.

"You've gotta be kidding me. That's what I've been missing?" Beth said, rolling over towards Daryl kissing him. She hesitated for a minute, though, pulling back and looking at Daryl, an odd look on her face. "I can… uh… taste myself." She said rather meekly.

"Yeah? Do ya like it?" Daryl asked, matter-of-factly.

"Is it weird to say it turns me on?" Beth asked.

And Daryl kissed her again. "No…" he said, his mouth against hers, smiling as he thought about what she was saying.

She pulled away from his kisses, only enough to look into his eyes. She bit her lower lip, almost seeming nervous. And then she was reaching over, taking Daryl's length into her hand and tugging upward on it.

"You keep doing that this is gonna be over before it gets started…" Daryl warned. He was unbelievably hard, which he was used to with Beth – it seemed like just being around her made him that way. But he knew that he was in dangerous territory with her looking at him the way she was, his hard cock in her sweet little hand.

"How do you want me, Daryl?" she asked, her eyes still locked on his.

Daryl let out a deep moan before speaking.

"I want you on top, baby…" he said. He never broke eye contact and she quickly climbed on top of him, straddling his hips, his hardened length brushing against her hot center against. Beth spread her hands out over Daryl's chest, her head ducking down to kiss him again, just as passionately now as before. He responded hungrily, his tongue exploring her mouth, wanting to taste and feel every inch of her.

It didn't take Beth long to align herself with Daryl and quickly sink herself down onto his rock hard erection. Her head fell backwards at the sensation, her back arching, and Daryl felt his arms greedily reaching for her breasts that were now pointing outwards more because of her arched back. She began to ride him then, as he carefully rubbed her breasts. She gazed down at Daryl as she quickly picked up her pace, driving herself down onto him harder and harder each time. Daryl was afraid for a moment that she was being too rough, but then he heard her gasping as he'd obviously found that secret spot deep inside her that'd make her eyes roll back into her head.

"Fuck…" he hissed out, grabbing hold of her butt and guiding them both in a steady rhythm that they both seemed to appreciate. She was gasping and panting and Daryl knew he that just the sight of her then, on top of him, riding him, moaning and sweating and chanting his name, could send him right over the edge. He snuck a hand around her hip and used his finger to rub that sweet little spot that he knew would send her over the edge. Daryl could tell how close she was – her breathing was erratic and her words almost completely incoherent.

He quickly moved, flipping them both over, never pulling out of her, and pressing Beth down into the bed so that her back is pressed into the mattress. He drove into her hard and fast, lifting both of her legs up, letting them bend over his forearms as he sought to be as far inside of her as he could. Beth came hard with a gasp, and that brought Daryl over the edge, a string of curse words falling from his mouth. Beth's legs spasmed and he laid them back down flat onto the bed before laying down beside her, pulling her into his arms, even as he panted, trying to control his breathing.

Daryl held her, her head on his chest, her arms encircling him tightly. There were a quiet few moments between them before Beth looked up at him, a mischievous smile on her face. She crawled up on top of him, kissing him, first his lips and then moving up his jaw line and finally to his ear, which she bit playfully.

"Let's do it again…" Beth whispered.

And they did.

* * *

><p>Daryl and Beth stayed mostly in bed for the rest of the weekend. One of them would occasionally stray outside of the room to get something quickly, only to return after being gone just a few brief moments. They ordered food in, and Beth got up early on Sunday morning to make pancakes for them, which she carried on a big tray back to bed for them to eat.<p>

Daryl hadn't ever had anyone make him breakfast in bed before and it was an unbelievable feeling, being like this with Beth. He never knew he could feel like this, never knew that he could be so at peace, so happy with someone. He quickly realized in those moments that while he and Beth had a new home to share together, she was really his home – she was the one that made him feel happy and content, not his surroundings or his living space, but her. And he knew it would always be that way, wherever she was, that'd be home.

Daryl was surprised that he didn't feel lazy spending almost the whole weekend in bed. He'd always been a person that liked doing things, liked being busy. But being like this with Beth made him not worry about the little projects around the house that needed to be taken care of, or the work paperwork that he was behind on. He was happy to just be with Beth and he hated the idea that soon Monday would come and they'd have to venture back out into the real world. He'd enjoy this while it lasted though, he thought., and he'd try to figure out when they could have this again.

They lay in bed and talked, about anything and everything. They watched movies, and even played a few hands of cards. They took a bubble bath together, and Beth gave Daryl an incredibly long full body massage. They wrestled, and laughed, and snuggled, and just enjoyed being together with each other. They napped on and off and looked at magazines together. Daryl read out loud to Beth a bit, just like he had in those weeks after the accident on the beach. And Daryl even braided Beth's hair.

And mostly, they had a whole lot of sex. Sometimes it was slow and rhythmic and sometimes it was fast and needy. They experimented and tried stuff that Daryl hadn't even really ever thought of. He knew Beth hadn't thought of some of it either, although she was the one to suggest several of the positions and he was quite surprised in her willingness and her wild imagination. She was still shy about some things, but Daryl was patient, knowing that he couldn't care less if she never felt comfortable with them – he didn't need all that, he just needed her.

He'd never had so much sex in his life as he had in that 36-hour window. At times he wasn't sure how his body was still functioning, how he somehow was able to recover from round after round, orgasm after orgasm. Even during the night, he and Beth cat napped on and off, never sleeping for more than a couple of hours at a time before waking up, hungry for one another again.

Lying in bed with Beth, talking and cuddling and making love, Daryl knew that his life would never get any better than this – and he promised himself, and promised Beth, that nothing, absolutely nothing, would ever ruin this kind of happiness for them.


	35. Chapter 35

Monday morning came too soon for Beth. Although she was excited to start her student teaching, something she'd been looking forward to for the last year or more, she hated to leave the tight little cocoon that she and Daryl had created for themselves over the weekend. It had been the most wonderful two days of her life and Beth desperately hoped that things between them wouldn't change once they'd gone back to their normal life of school and work. For some reason, which Beth realized was completely irrational, she feared that once things went back to "normal" and she couldn't spend as much time with Daryl that he would change his mind about being with her, that he wouldn't want her in the same way anymore.

As Beth dried her hair, she tried to shake those worries from her mind. She focused on what she had in front of her today, orientation at the school where she'd be student teaching. She'd been told by her advisor that there were 4 other students from her program who would also be student teaching at the same school and although she wasn't sure who they were, she was certain she'd know at least some of them. She knew that this first week would be draining on her, but she was exciting about the opportunity ahead. She was incredibly tired, not having slept as much as she should have, tangled up in the sheets with Daryl for most of the night and early morning, both of them desperate to savor the little bit of uninterrupted time they still had left together.

She smiled at herself in the mirror thinking about her and Daryl's last round, in the shower just a few minutes prior. She never thought she'd be having sex with someone in the shower, not even her future husband, but Daryl ignited something inside of her that she couldn't explain. She found herself constantly aroused, desperately wanting to be next to Daryl all the time, wanting to feel him touching her and making love to her. And those feelings had driven her to be much more adventurous than she ever imagined. Before Daryl, her sexual experiences had been pretty limited and had all been very tame. But over the last couple of days she and Daryl had had sex at least 15 times, she guessed, and they'd seemed to really lay caution to the wind, giving over to their instincts and letting themselves touch and feel and respond to each other, experimenting and exploring together. And now that Beth had gotten a taste of what that could be like, she knew there was no going back. She just wasn't quite sure how she'd manage to make it through the entire day without Daryl. Part of her hoped that she'd just be so busy that she wouldn't be too caught up thinking about him.

Beth spent more time than she'd wanted looking through her clothes, trying to decide what to wear. She knew she should have planned out her clothes the night before, just like her mom had always taught her to do, but she hadn't wanted to stray too far from Daryl, so she'd put it off until this morning. And picking out her clothes was a bit harder for her because of the haphazard order they were hanging in within her new closet. Daryl had done an amazing job at moving all of her things to the new house from her uncle's place – but she had some work to do herself in organizing her things just the way she wanted them.

Beth also noted to herself that she needed to go shopping for some school clothes as soon as possible – even before summer started she'd planned on doing this, knowing that many of her clothes weren't appropriate or practical for her to wear to school. She'd saved a great deal of money up over time, but she didn't have as much as she would have if she hadn't stopped working half way through the summer – and she couldn't help but worry a little about money. She wouldn't need as much this school year for books and other school supplies, but she couldn't help but wonder how she and Daryl would be able to afford to live in such a nice house and maintain a decent lifestyle, especially when she wasn't currently bringing in any income at all. She knew that she couldn't go back to lifeguarding, her therapist had suggested that it wasn't a healthy environment to put herself back into. Beth would probably need to find a part-time job, she thought, to work a bit at nights and some on the weekends. But the thought of taking any bit of time away from her little bit of time with Daryl was painful to think about, to say the least. She knew she needed to be stronger, needed to do what she had to do to help contribute to their household, but currently she wasn't feeling particularly strong with relation to anything to do with being away from Daryl any more than what was absolutely necessary.

She finally chose a pair of cropped fitted black dress pants, a flowy three-quarter length blouse, and a pair of black patent wedges. She hurriedly put it all on, checking the time, noting that she was running a few minutes behind schedule. She pulled her hair half back, knowing she'd be more comfortable with it pulled out of her face, and then grabbed her purse before hurrying into the kitchen. She hadn't seen Daryl since they'd gotten out of the shower, and she wasn't sure where he was or what he was doing. She was shocked to find him in the kitchen, a huge stack of pancakes piled up next to him on the counter. He smiled up at her, and she saw then that he'd set two places at their little kitchen table. He'd laid out their plates, silverware, napkins, juice glasses, and coffee mugs. He took a little ceramic container out of the microwave, which Beth realized was syrup, and picked up the plate of pancakes, moving towards the table.

"Big day… Need a good breakfast." Daryl said, smiling to her sweetly as she looked at him, a little in shock. She knew the expression on her face probably said it all, but she couldn't help her surprise. She'd not known Daryl to cook much, although she knew that he could. But this man, she thought, continued to amaze her, always thinking of what he could do for her, always trying to show her how much he loved her, through whatever way he could think of.

"How did I get so lucky?" Beth asked, sliding up beside Daryl and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm the lucky one, baby girl…" Daryl said, bending his head down to brush his lips against hers. And all of a sudden, the last thing on Beth's mind was making it to school on time. She deepened their kiss, and couldn't help the arousal she felt when she felt Daryl's hands run down her back and cup her ass tightly.

"You're gonna be late…" Daryl said in between kisses.

"Don't care…" Beth said in response, smiling against Daryl's lips. And she didn't. She knew she should, knew it wouldn't be good if she was late on her very first day. And she knew she didn't want to do anything to mess up her relationship with those at the school where she'd be student teaching.

But as Daryl pushed her backwards, up against the kitchen counter, then lifting her up onto the counter, spreading her legs and touching her over her pants, she just couldn't bring herself to care. And she wasn't sure if she would ever care about anything else in life as much as she cared for this man - and that feeling both thrilled and terrified her. It was her turn to think that Daryl would certainly be the death of her, but she was pretty sure she'd found her happily ever after.

xx The End xx

**Author's Note: **

**First, I'd like to thank each of you who for continuing to read this story, and for all your encouragement and feedback along the way. This was my very first experience with writing fan fiction and all of you have made the experience wonderful. **

**I'd like to thank the many of you have regularly reviewed this story. And I'd particularly like to thank a new friend rckyfrk for being a critical voice for me during all of this. **

**I am bringing Man on the Beach to a close. But the storyline is far from over, so I will be starting on a sequel that I hope you will all follow with equal enthusiasm. This new story will follow Beth and Daryl throughout the next year as they explore their relationship, plan for their future, and certainly face more than their fair share of obstacles along the way. The new story will be titled Man with a Mission. **

**I invite you to follow me as an author so that you'll be notified as soon as this new story begins, which should be sometime within the next week. **


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